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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. swing — music
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. lie — to recline
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. key — the most important part
  11. row — a line
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. row — to paddle
  16. swing — in golf
  17. drill — the tool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. key — for a lock
  21. swing — to play on
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. key — in music

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