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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. board — to get on
  7. file — a line of people
  8. craft — a skill
  9. file — a document
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. craft — boats
  18. wind — moving air
  19. file — a tool
  20. board — a committee
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wind — moving air

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