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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. field — for sport
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. perch — the fish
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. fine — all right
  10. vault — a safe
  11. field — farmland
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. field — a subject
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bore — to drill
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. spell — letters
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bore — gave birth

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