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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. tube — a container
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. tube — the underground
  11. foot — a measure
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bore — to tire
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rest — a break

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