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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. drill — army training
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. ball — a dance
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. drill — the tool
  7. mate — to breed
  8. spell — letters
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. mate — a friend
  12. drill — a practice
  13. spell — magic
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bear — the animal
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bear — the animal
  20. craft — boats
  21. ball — a great time
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. ball — a round shape

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