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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. rest — a break
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. content — the amount
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — bread
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. scale — in music
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. scale — size or range
  15. board — a committee
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. board — to get on
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. content — happy
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rest — what's left
  24. nail — for a hammer

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