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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. ball — a great time
  3. present — there
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. key — in music
  6. wake — a trail
  7. present — a gift
  8. key — for a lock
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mine — for digging
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. key — the most important part
  17. ball — a dance
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. present — the time now
  24. ball — a round shape

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