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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. race — humankind
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bass — the fish
  7. race — a contest
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mug — a face
  12. drill — army training
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mug — to rob
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bass — low music
  20. drill — the tool
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mug — a cup
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. race — the arms race

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