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: cabinet · saw · trunk · ball · hide · bear · perch · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. ball — a dance
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. perch — the fish
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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