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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. rule — government
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. bank — of a river
  7. squash — to crush
  8. perch — the fish
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bank — for money
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mate — a friend
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. mate — a partner
  20. rule — a law
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bank — for money

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