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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. hand — help
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. rule — government
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. rule — a law
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. ball — a great time
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. perch — the fish

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