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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. drill — a practice
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. cell — in biology
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. drill — army training
  10. rock — a stone
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. chair — a leader
  13. rock — music
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. craft — boats
  18. drill — the tool
  19. cell — a phone
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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