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 · date · kick · pitcher · mouse · prune · ball · suit

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. ball — a great time
  4. suit — clothes
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. prune — to trim
  19. date — the fruit
  20. ball — a dance
  21. kick — in football
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. suit — in cards

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