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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. land — a country
  5. can — to be able to
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. wound — an injury
  11. board — to get on
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. land — ground
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. board — a committee
  18. can — a tin
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bulb — for light
  23. can — a tin
  24. land — to come down

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