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: mouse · trunk · net · cold · rock · pitcher · fine · ruler

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. net — in sport
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. cold — not warm
  5. fine — all right
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cold — an illness
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. rock — music
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — after costs
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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