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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. key — in music
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. clip — to cut
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bark — to shout
  12. race — the arms race
  13. clip — for paper
  14. clip — a video
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. race — a contest
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cue — a hint
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. race — humankind
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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