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 · mate · snap · bulb · ground · safe · wake · track

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wake — a trail
  9. snap — to click
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. track — a path
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. track — a song
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mate — to breed
  20. ground — the earth
  21. mate — a partner
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. mate — a friend
  24. ground — a position

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