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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. capital — a city
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. capital — money
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. ball — a dance
  9. present — a gift
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. clip — a video
  12. bore — to tire
  13. present — the time now
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. clip — for paper
  16. present — there
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. clip — to cut
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of a tree

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