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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. cold — an illness
  3. cold — not warm
  4. bear — the animal
  5. charge — a price
  6. bear — the animal
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. suit — to fit
  10. charge — electricity
  11. suit — clothes
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. pit — in a race
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. band — a ring
  18. suit — in cards
  19. snap — to click
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. charge — in control
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bear — to put up with

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