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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. tube — a container
  3. bear — the animal
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. object — to protest
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. shower — to wash
  13. object — a thing
  14. tube — the underground
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bear — the animal
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bank — of a river
  22. object — an aim
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. shower — rain

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