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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. squash — to crush
  4. spring — a coil
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. spring — the season
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. squash — the sport
  9. press — newspapers
  10. last — to go on
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. last — finally
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. spring — of water
  17. press — to push
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. last — final

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