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 120 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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. foot — a measure
  8. content — happy
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. staff — a stick
  11. dip — to sink
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. content — the amount
  14. staff — employees
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. mate — a partner
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. staff — employees
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fan — a supporter

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