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: game · content · object · last · stand · coach · chest · trunk

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. chest — a box
  3. content — the amount
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. content — happy
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. object — a thing
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. last — to go on
  10. game — wild animals
  11. last — finally
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. chest — of your body
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. last — final
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. object — an aim
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. stand — to bear
  21. chest — of your body
  22. object — to protest
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. game — a match

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