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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. rest — a break
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. drill — the tool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. chip — for betting
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. drill — a practice
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. drill — army training

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