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: bay · game · bore · trunk · key · cabinet · hide · degree

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. degree — from a university
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. degree — temperature
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bore — to drill
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. key — the most important part
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. degree — an amount
  20. bore — to tire
  21. key — for a lock
  22. game — wild animals
  23. key — in music
  24. game — a match

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