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 116 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. wound — an injury
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. object — a thing
  10. craft — boats
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wound — an injury
  14. object — to protest
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. plane — a tool
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — a skill
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. object — an aim
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stem — to come from
  24. plane — an aircraft

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