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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. net — in sport
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. march — the month
  7. season — of the year
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. net — for catching
  13. march — the month
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. kick — in football
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. march — music
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. lean — thin
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. season — in sport
  22. net — after costs
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. lean — to bend

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