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

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. fall — to drop
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. lean — to bend
  11. vault — a safe
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bat — the animal
  14. swing — to play on
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. swing — music
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bark — to shout
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. swing — in golf
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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