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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bore — to tire
  6. ground — a position
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. scale — in music
  11. mine — for digging
  12. wake — a trail
  13. ground — the earth
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. ground — crushed
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. fine — high quality
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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