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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. wind — moving air
  13. fall — the season
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. tube — in a tire

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