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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. present — the time now
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. squash — to crush
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a skill
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. present — a gift
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. present — there
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. hand — in cards
  19. toast — bread
  20. squash — the sport
  21. hand — help
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. hand — part of the body

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