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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. tube — the underground
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. mug — a cup
  6. prune — to trim
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. prune — to trim
  9. tube — a container
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. foot — a measure
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — in control
  20. vault — a safe
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. mug — a face

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