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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. club — for dancing
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bank — for money
  10. last — final
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. last — to go on
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. last — finally
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. club — for golf
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. club — a group

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