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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. perch — the fish
  4. spring — the season
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bulb — for light
  13. charge — a price
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. charge — electricity
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. charge — in control
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bulb — for light
  21. kick — in football
  22. spring — a coil
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. spring — of water

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