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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. tear — to rip
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bass — low music
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mine — for digging
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. deal — a big deal

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