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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. key — in music
  3. tube — a container
  4. wind — moving air
  5. key — the most important part
  6. tube — the underground
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. craft — a skill
  15. prune — to trim
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. key — for a lock
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fork — in a road
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. prune — to trim
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. craft — boats

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