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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. hand — in cards
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. hand — help
  7. pop — music
  8. present — there
  9. present — a gift
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pop — soda
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. present — the time now
  24. temple — a place of worship

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