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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. present — a gift
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. tube — a container
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lie — to recline
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. board — a committee
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. present — there
  20. present — the time now
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. board — to get on
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. tube — the underground

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