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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wax — to grow
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lie — to recline
  11. present — a gift
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. cue — a signal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. spell — a short time
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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