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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. land — a country
  4. board — to get on
  5. land — to come down
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. land — ground
  8. hand — help
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. hand — in cards
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. board — a committee
  17. prune — to trim
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. prune — to trim
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a skill

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