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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. court — of law
  8. sharp — clever
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. court — for sport
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. court — of a king
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — thin

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