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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. court — of a king
  3. cue — a signal
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. spell — letters
  6. board — to get on
  7. chip — for betting
  8. cue — a hint
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. spell — magic
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. lie — to recline
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bat — the animal
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. spell — a short time
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. board — a committee
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. court — for sport
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. court — of law
  23. cue — for pool
  24. chip — to eat

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