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 116 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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bound — certain
  5. rush — hurry
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bound — obliged
  9. fine — high quality
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. tube — a container
  13. rock — music
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. tube — the underground
  20. fine — all right
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. fine — a penalty

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