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 120 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: pop · kid · trunk · staff · mate · rush · dip · present

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. present — the time now
  3. mate — to breed
  4. kid — child
  5. present — a gift
  6. staff — employees
  7. kid — to tease
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. mate — a partner
  13. staff — employees
  14. mate — a friend
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. present — there
  21. pop — soda
  22. staff — a stick
  23. rush — hurry
  24. dip — to sink

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