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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. spring — the season
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. track — a path
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. charge — in control
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. cue — a signal
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. charge — a price
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cue — for pool
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. track — a song
  16. cue — a hint
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. charge — electricity
  19. track — to keep track
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. saw — the tool
  22. spring — a coil
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. spring — of water

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