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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bank — for money
  9. prune — to trim
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bank — of a river
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bank — for money
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. scale — size or range
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. scale — in music

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