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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. last — finally
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. clip — a video
  7. root — the cause
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. clip — for paper
  10. root — of a word
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. hand — help
  14. suit — in cards
  15. last — final
  16. hand — in cards
  17. root — of a plant
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. clip — to cut
  21. suit — to fit
  22. last — to go on
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. current — electric

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