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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. spell — magic
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. court — of a king
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. court — for sport
  12. spell — a short time
  13. snap — to click
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. court — of law
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. spell — letters
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. safe — out of danger

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