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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. chair — a leader
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. ball — a dance
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ball — a great time
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. fine — all right
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. chair — to sit on

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