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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. march — music
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pop — to visit
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. vault — a safe
  10. march — the month
  11. sharp — clever
  12. pop — music
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pop — soda
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. march — the month
  24. trunk — of a tree

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