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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. land — a country
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. rock — music
  12. land — ground
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. lean — thin
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. kick — in football
  21. land — to come down
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rock — a stone

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