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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. rock — a stone
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. rock — music
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cell — in biology
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. cell — a phone
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. nail — for a hammer

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