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: content · trunk · spring · toast · mark · calf · rest · fork

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mark — a grade
  5. toast — bread
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rest — what's left
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. rest — what's left
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fork — in a road
  12. spring — a coil
  13. content — happy
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. spring — the season
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. spring — of water
  22. content — the amount
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rest — a break

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