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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. cue — a signal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cue — for pool
  6. ground — crushed
  7. net — for catching
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ground — the earth
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. net — after costs
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. cue — a hint
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. net — in sport
  24. ground — a position

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