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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. scale — in music
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. current — of water
  8. present — there
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. present — a gift
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. date — the fruit
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. present — the time now
  24. cabinet — ministers

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