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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. current — of water
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bark — to shout
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bound — tied together
  10. current — happening now
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. game — a match
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bound — certain
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. date — the fruit
  20. bound — obliged
  21. track — a song
  22. current — electric
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. track — a path

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