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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. suit — to fit
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. rash — a series
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. mug — a face
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. roll — a cake
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — in cards
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. trunk — of a car

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