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 116 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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. track — a song
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. land — a country
  5. land — to come down
  6. squash — to crush
  7. cue — for pool
  8. rock — music
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. board — to get on
  11. track — a path
  12. squash — the sport
  13. cue — a hint
  14. land — ground
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. board — a committee
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cue — a signal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. track — to keep track
  23. rock — a stone
  24. squash — the vegetable

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