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: lean · trunk · mouse · toast · cell · jam · rock · craft

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. rock — music
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lean — thin
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. rock — a stone
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. toast — bread
  17. lean — to bend
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. cell — in biology
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. craft — boats
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. cell — a phone

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