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 124 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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. row — a line
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ball — a dance
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. suit — in cards
  11. row — to paddle
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mate — a partner
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. swing — to play on
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mate — to breed
  20. swing — in golf
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. swing — music
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. mate — a friend

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