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: wake · mouse · rush · safe · bark · trunk · tube · arm

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tube — the underground
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bark — to shout
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. rush — hurry
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. wake — a trail
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. tube — a container

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