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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bat — the animal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. field — for sport
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. staff — employees
  10. club — for golf
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. club — a group
  14. staff — employees
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. staff — a stick
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. pound — a weight
  21. field — a subject
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. club — for dancing
  24. field — farmland

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