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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. track — to keep track
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. track — a path
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wind — moving air
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. dip — to sink
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mark — a grade
  15. track — a song
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wind — moving air
  19. mark — a trace
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. hide — to keep secret

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