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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. drill — the tool
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. club — for golf
  9. drill — army training
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wind — moving air
  12. drill — a practice
  13. rock — a stone
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wind — moving air
  16. club — for dancing
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently

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