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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. land — ground
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. hand — help
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. racket — for tennis

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