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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. rest — a break
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. ball — a dance
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. toast — bread
  15. mine — for digging
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ball — a great time
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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