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: hand · toast · dip · leaves · bore · game · jam · trunk

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. game — a match
  3. dip — to sink
  4. game — wild animals
  5. hand — in cards
  6. toast — bread
  7. bore — to tire
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bore — to drill
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. hand — help

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