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 · suit · game · bowl · mine · cue · racket · firm

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — a signal
  5. firm — steady
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. suit — in cards
  8. firm — decided
  9. mine — for digging
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. firm — a company
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. cue — for pool
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. game — a match
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. racket — a loud noise

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