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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. file — a document
  5. cue — a signal
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. net — for catching
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. file — a tool
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. net — after costs
  13. file — a line of people
  14. net — in sport
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pit — in a race
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — the tool
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. drill — a practice

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