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: mate · mug · bay · trunk · saw · tube · land · snap

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. land — ground
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. mug — a face
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mate — to breed
  8. tube — a container
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mate — a friend
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. land — a country
  16. land — to come down
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mate — a partner
  19. saw — the tool
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. snap — to click
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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