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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. pitch — completely
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. mark — a grade
  5. club — for dancing
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. fork — in a road
  9. club — for golf
  10. bank — of a river
  11. wax — to grow
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bank — for money
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. club — a group
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mark — a trace
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bank — for money
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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