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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. race — a contest
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. plane — a tool
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — a list
  8. race — humankind
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. shower — to wash
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. spell — magic
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spell — a short time
  16. race — the arms race
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. shower — rain
  24. spell — letters

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