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 120 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. rule — government
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. kid — child
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. kid — to tease
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rule — a law
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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