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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. prune — to trim
  5. craft — a skill
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. drill — a practice
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mate — a friend
  17. stand — to bear
  18. craft — boats
  19. drill — army training
  20. mate — to breed
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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