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 120 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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. firm — decided
  3. band — a ring
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mate — to breed
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bat — the animal
  8. firm — a company
  9. track — a song
  10. firm — steady
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. track — a path
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. band — a music group
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. mate — a partner
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. track — to keep track
  24. snap — to click

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