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 120 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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. file — a line of people
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. file — a document
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. press — to push
  11. net — in sport
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. net — after costs
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. press — newspapers
  17. snap — to click
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. net — for catching
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. press — a publisher

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