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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. pit — in a race
  4. drill — a practice
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pit — a hole
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — certain
  15. wake — a trail
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. can — a tin
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. shower — rain
  23. shower — to wash
  24. wake — before a funeral

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