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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bear — the animal
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. key — the most important part
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. swing — in golf
  19. row — a line
  20. swing — to play on
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. key — in music
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. swing — music

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