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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bark — to shout
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. mate — a friend
  9. face — part of the head
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. fork — in a road
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. mouse — for a computer

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