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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. shower — rain
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. file — a document
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. board — a committee
  9. file — a tool
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bulb — for light
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. file — a line of people
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. board — to get on
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bat — the animal

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