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: mate · saw · wake · bear · trunk · kid · drill · chip

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chip — to eat
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. drill — army training
  9. chip — for betting
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. kid — child
  14. mate — to breed
  15. kid — to tease
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wake — a trail
  20. drill — a practice
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bear — the animal
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. drill — the tool

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