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: key · dip · trunk · mouse · arm · rush · bay · cabinet

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. key — for a lock
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. key — the most important part
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. key — in music
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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