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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rest — a break
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. swing — music
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rest — what's left
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. swing — in golf
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. swing — to play on
  24. lash — an eyelash

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