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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mine — for digging
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. current — electric
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. capital — a city
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. current — of water
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. current — happening now
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. capital — money
  24. stand — on your feet

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