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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. swing — to play on
  3. pit — in a race
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. can — a tin
  9. band — a music group
  10. board — to get on
  11. can — to be able to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. swing — music
  14. wax — to grow
  15. band — a ring
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wax — for sculpting

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