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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. craft — boats
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. mark — a trace
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. kick — in football
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to sink
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. trunk — of a car

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