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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. dip — to sink
  4. wind — moving air
  5. ball — a great time
  6. craft — boats
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. board — a committee
  10. wind — moving air
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. craft — a skill
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. ball — a dance

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