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 116 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 · wind · chip · plane · spell · can · bay · charge

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. spell — a short time
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. spell — magic
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. chip — for betting
  7. can — to be able to
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. charge — a price
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. spell — letters
  23. charge — in control
  24. chip — to eat

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