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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. drill — the tool
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. drill — a practice
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cell — a phone
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. drill — army training
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cell — in biology
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. nail — on a finger

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