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 120 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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. ball — a dance
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. content — the amount
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. shower — rain
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. content — happy
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. cell — a phone
  20. mate — to breed
  21. shower — to wash
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. mate — a friend

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