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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mate — a friend
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mate — to breed
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rock — music
  15. mate — a partner
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. sharp — clever
  18. wind — moving air
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fan — a supporter

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