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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. spring — the season
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. current — happening now
  5. spring — a coil
  6. mark — a trace
  7. current — of water
  8. club — a group
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bound — certain
  11. spring — of water
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rest — a break
  18. current — electric
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bound — tied together
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bound — obliged

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