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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. last — finally
  3. shower — to wash
  4. chip — to eat
  5. suit — clothes
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. chip — for betting
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. last — to go on
  11. ball — a great time
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wind — moving air
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wind — moving air
  17. suit — in cards
  18. shower — rain
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. ball — a dance
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. last — final
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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