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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. rock — music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rock — a stone
  8. content — the amount
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. dip — to sink
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. content — happy
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bat — the animal
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. plane — a tool
  24. dip — a sauce

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