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 · bay · bear · mouse · stick · band · rush · track

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bear — the animal
  13. band — a ring
  14. track — a song
  15. track — to keep track
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bear — the animal
  19. track — a path
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. band — a music group
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. band — a rubber band

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