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 · coach · roll · key · bore · row · game · rush

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bore — to drill
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. key — in music
  7. game — wild animals
  8. roll — a list
  9. key — for a lock
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. game — a match
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. key — the most important part
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rush — hurry
  20. roll — a cake
  21. bore — to tire
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. row — a line
  24. roll — on a roll

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