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 120 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 · arm · suit · fork · object · trunk · mouse · content

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fork — in a road
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. content — happy
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. content — the amount
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. object — an aim
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. trunk — of a tree

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