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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. suit — clothes
  3. kid — to tease
  4. wound — an injury
  5. present — there
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. track — a song
  9. suit — to fit
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. suit — in cards
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wound — an injury
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. track — a path
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. track — to keep track
  24. kid — child

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