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 124 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. board — to get on
  3. plane — a tool
  4. content — the amount
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rash — hasty
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. content — happy
  13. roll — a list
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. vault — a safe
  19. board — a committee
  20. roll — a cake
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. rash — a series
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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