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 King held a masked ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. ball — a dance
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. file — a document
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. row — to paddle
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. tube — a container
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a list
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. file — a tool
  18. row — a line
  19. roll — a cake
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. file — a line of people
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. ball — a great time
  24. tube — the underground

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