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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fork — in a road
  6. chair — a leader
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. pop — music
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pop — soda
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — low music
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. object — a thing
  22. pop — to visit
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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