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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. spell — magic
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rush — hurry
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. branch — a division
  9. cue — a hint
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. lean — thin
  12. drill — the tool
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. spell — letters
  16. date — the fruit
  17. cue — a signal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — army training
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. spell — a short time
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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