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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wake — a trail
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. sharp — clever
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rush — hurry

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