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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. drill — a practice
  5. spell — a short time
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. object — an aim
  9. mark — a grade
  10. spell — magic
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mark — a trace
  14. drill — the tool
  15. object — to protest
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. spell — letters
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. object — a thing
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. drill — army training
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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