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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. mug — to rob
  5. wound — an injury
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mug — a face
  9. stock — shares
  10. tear — to rip
  11. stock — goods
  12. mug — a cup
  13. fall — to drop
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. fall — the season
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mine — for digging
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. fall — to drop
  24. hide — to keep secret

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