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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. firm — a company
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. board — to get on
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. firm — decided
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bulb — for light
  9. firm — steady
  10. swing — to play on
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. swing — music
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. swing — in golf
  15. board — a committee
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. band — a ring
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. snap — to click
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bulb — for light
  24. band — a music group

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