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 120 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bank — for money
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. lean — thin
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rush — hurry
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bank — for money
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. kick — in football
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bank — of a river
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. ball — a great time

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