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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. current — of water
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. drill — army training
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. current — electric
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. drill — the tool
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. drill — a practice
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. chair — a leader
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. current — happening now
  24. ruler — for measuring

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