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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. land — a country
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. suit — in cards
  6. sharp — clever
  7. can — a tin
  8. last — finally
  9. can — to be able to
  10. land — to come down
  11. lean — thin
  12. last — to go on
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. can — a tin
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kid — child
  19. suit — to fit
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. suit — clothes
  22. kid — to tease
  23. last — final
  24. lean — to bend

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