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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. suit — clothes
  3. kick — in football
  4. key — the most important part
  5. court — of law
  6. track — a path
  7. track — a song
  8. sharp — clever
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. court — for sport
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — obliged
  14. track — to keep track
  15. suit — to fit
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. court — of a king
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bound — tied together

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