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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. rush — hurry
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. deal — to handle
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. saw — the tool
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pop — music
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. can — to be able to

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