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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. can — a tin
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. chip — for betting
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. spell — magic
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bore — to drill
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. spell — letters
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. spell — a short time
  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