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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. band — a music group
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. band — a ring
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bark — to shout
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. craft — boats

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