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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. file — a line of people
  3. club — a group
  4. pop — soda
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. file — a tool
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. mark — a grade
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. file — a document
  12. club — for golf
  13. pop — to visit
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pop — music
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. tube — a container
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bark — to shout

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