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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. tube — a container
  7. field — a subject
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. field — for sport
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. mug — a face
  17. tube — the underground
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. field — farmland
  24. mug — a cup

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