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 120 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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. charge — in control
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. chest — a box
  10. can — to be able to
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. chest — of your body
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. game — a match
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. game — wild animals
  19. stand — to bear
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — help
  23. chest — of your body
  24. game — a kind of play

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