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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pop — music
  6. bank — for money
  7. court — for sport
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. season — in sport
  12. bank — for money
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pop — soda
  16. court — of law
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bank — of a river
  19. foot — a measure
  20. pop — to visit
  21. season — of the year
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. court — of a king

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