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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. fall — the season
  4. roll — a cake
  5. fall — to drop
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bass — low music
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. staff — employees
  12. roll — a list
  13. fall — to drop
  14. object — to protest
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bass — the fish
  22. object — an aim
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. object — a thing

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