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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mate — a friend
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a music group
  10. mate — to breed
  11. clip — a video
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. suit — to fit
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. clip — to cut
  16. bulb — for light
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. clip — for paper
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mate — a partner
  21. suit — in cards
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. suit — clothes

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