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: mouse · trunk · row · temple · key · swing · bound · capital

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bound — certain
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. capital — money
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bound — tied together
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bound — obliged
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a line
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. swing — music
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. key — for a lock
  20. capital — a city
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. key — in music
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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