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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. degree — from a university
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — an aim
  5. field — a subject
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a face
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. mug — a cup
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cap — of ice
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. degree — an amount
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. degree — temperature
  21. object — to protest
  22. field — for sport
  23. field — farmland
  24. safe — out of danger

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