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: pound · key · arm · tube · shower · trunk · board · date

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. shower — to wash
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. key — for a lock
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. key — the most important part
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. key — in music
  15. date — the fruit
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. board — to get on
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. shower — rain
  20. board — a committee
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. trunk — of a car

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