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 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pass — a permit
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. track — a song
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. track — a path
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bear — the animal
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bear — the animal
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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