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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. current — happening now
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. last — final
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. last — to go on
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. spell — letters
  14. last — finally
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. spell — a short time
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. roll — a cake
  19. spell — magic
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. roll — a list
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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