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 120 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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. tear — from crying
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. game — wild animals
  5. suit — to fit
  6. spell — magic
  7. foot — a measure
  8. ball — a great time
  9. tear — to rip
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. spell — a short time
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. suit — clothes
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. game — a match
  16. rush — hurry
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. ball — a dance
  21. spell — letters
  22. suit — in cards
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. tear — from crying

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