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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. mate — a partner
  3. ground — a position
  4. suit — to fit
  5. board — a committee
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. board — to get on
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — to shout
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mate — to breed
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. mate — a friend
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ground — the earth
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. date — on the calendar

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