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: hide · mine · jam · mate · trunk · rock · game · fork

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. mate — a partner
  3. fork — in a road
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. game — a match
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. mate — to breed
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. game — wild animals
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — for digging
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mate — a friend
  22. rock — music
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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