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: foot · perch · rule · wind · mug · stick · ball · trunk

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mug — a cup
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. wind — moving air
  8. perch — the fish
  9. foot — a measure
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. wind — moving air
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rule — government

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