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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. wake — a trail
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. spell — magic
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. game — wild animals
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. stem — to come from
  18. spell — a short time
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. game — a match
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. club — for dancing

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