ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. spring — the season
  6. mark — a grade
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rock — a stone
  9. can — a tin
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. can — a tin
  14. rock — music
  15. mark — a trace
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — a measure
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. spring — a coil
  21. march — music
  22. bat — the animal
  23. spring — of water
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com