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: file · bark · mouse · lean · fan · fork · trunk · pass

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a document
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pass — a permit
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. file — a line of people
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — thin

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