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 · last · mouse · safe · ground · cell · wound · toast

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ground — the earth
  4. last — finally
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — crushed
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. wound — an injury
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. last — final
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — bread
  18. last — to go on
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cell — in biology
  24. trunk — of a car

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