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 116 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. current — of water
  3. content — happy
  4. object — a thing
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. current — happening now
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. mate — a partner
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. mate — to breed
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. current — electric
  14. object — to protest
  15. game — a match
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. content — the amount
  22. object — an aim
  23. game — wild animals
  24. mate — a friend

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