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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. land — to come down
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. land — a country
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. lean — thin
  23. land — ground
  24. rock — music

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