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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. suit — clothes
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. squash — to crush
  6. hand — help
  7. vault — a safe
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rash — hasty
  15. suit — to fit
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. deal — to handle
  19. squash — the sport
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rash — a series
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. squash — the vegetable

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