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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. rock — a stone
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. roll — a cake
  8. saw — the tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. land — a country
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. land — ground
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. squash — to crush
  18. rock — music
  19. land — to come down
  20. perch — the fish
  21. squash — the sport
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. perch — for a bird

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