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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — army training
  6. perch — the fish
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. object — a thing
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. object — an aim
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bore — to tire
  20. object — to protest
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. plane — a tool
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. plane — in geometry

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