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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. craft — a skill
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. craft — boats
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. fall — the season
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. pass — a permit
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. capital — money
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. fall — to drop
  16. object — an aim
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. object — a thing
  22. capital — a city
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. fall — to drop

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