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 116 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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. drill — army training
  9. clip — for paper
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. swing — to play on
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. clip — to cut
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. clip — a video
  18. lie — to recline
  19. swing — music
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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