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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. current — of water
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. current — happening now
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. file — a document
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. present — a gift
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. present — there
  13. current — electric
  14. bore — to drill
  15. file — a line of people
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. file — a tool
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bore — to tire
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. present — the time now

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