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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. track — to keep track
  9. net — in sport
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. track — a path
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. net — for catching
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wound — an injury
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. track — a song
  22. net — after costs
  23. wound — an injury
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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