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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pop — soda
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pop — music
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. can — a tin
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pop — to visit
  15. can — a tin
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mine — for digging
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. suit — in cards
  24. temple — a place of worship

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