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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. wind — moving air
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wind — moving air
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. prune — to trim
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pound — a weight
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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