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: hand · cabinet · bore · coach · staff · content · trunk · mouse

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. staff — a stick
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. staff — employees
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bore — to drill
  12. hand — help
  13. content — happy
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. content — the amount
  16. staff — employees
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bore — to tire
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. hand — 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