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 116 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. cell — in biology
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. cell — a phone

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