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: hide · pop · key · object · kid · trunk · club · leaves

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. pop — soda
  3. key — the most important part
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. key — in music
  6. club — for dancing
  7. object — a thing
  8. kid — to tease
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. club — for golf
  11. key — for a lock
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. object — to protest
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. object — an aim
  19. pop — to visit
  20. club — a group
  21. kid — child
  22. pop — music
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — to go away

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