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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. saw — the tool
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. key — for a lock
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. fine — all right
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. key — the most important part
  11. tube — a container
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — a weight
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. key — in music
  24. fork — a garden tool

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