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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: trunk · stick · pitch · bowl · file · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. file — a tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a line of people

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