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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. roll — a cake
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mine — for digging
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. suit — to fit
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to click
  24. suit — clothes

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