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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. can — to be able to
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. club — a group
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  24. pitcher — a jug

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