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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. file — a line of people
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. mug — a cup
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bear — the animal
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mug — a face
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bulb — for light
  17. file — a document
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mug — to rob
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ball — a great time
  23. file — a tool
  24. ball — a round shape

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