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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. spell — magic
  3. bore — to drill
  4. sharp — clever
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. spell — a short time
  7. suit — in cards
  8. shower — rain
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. toast — bread
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. suit — to fit
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. shower — to wash
  18. spell — letters
  19. suit — clothes
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to tire
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. sharp — with an edge

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