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: cue · trunk · vault · row · toast · shower · field · date

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. cue — a hint
  4. shower — rain
  5. cue — a signal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — a safe
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. row — to paddle
  11. toast — bread
  12. date — the fruit
  13. row — a line
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. shower — to wash
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. cue — for pool
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — a subject
  24. field — for sport

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