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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bore — to drill
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. tear — to rip
  7. spell — letters
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. field — farmland
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. tear — from crying
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. spell — a short time
  20. field — a subject
  21. bore — to tire
  22. field — for sport
  23. tear — from crying
  24. spell — magic

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