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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. file — a document
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. prune — to trim
  8. file — a line of people
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bass — the fish
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bass — low music
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. last — final
  21. last — finally
  22. last — to go on
  23. file — a tool
  24. lie — to recline

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