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 116 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. current — of water
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. current — happening now
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. vault — a safe
  11. scale — in music
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mine — for digging
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. scale — size or range
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. current — electric

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