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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. object — a thing
  6. mark — a grade
  7. object — an aim
  8. mug — to rob
  9. object — to protest
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mug — a cup
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mug — a face
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mark — a trace
  24. calf — a young animal

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