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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. chest — of your body
  5. ball — a dance
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. chest — a box
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. current — electric
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. chest — of your body
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. staff — employees
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. staff — employees
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. ball — a great time
  24. staff — a stick

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