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 · craft · suit · present · game · date · dip · hide

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. present — a gift
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. suit — clothes
  7. present — there
  8. suit — to fit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. craft — a skill
  13. dip — to sink
  14. suit — in cards
  15. date — the fruit
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. present — the time now
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. craft — boats
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. trunk — of a tree

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