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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. spring — of water
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. squash — the sport
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cap — a lid
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stand — to bear
  14. spring — a coil
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. cap — a hat
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. cap — of ice
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. jam — a tight spot

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