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: racket · trunk · bear · plane · straw · mark · date · perch

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. date — the fruit
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. plane — a tool
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mark — a trace
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. plane — in geometry

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