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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bound — certain
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. plane — a tool
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. sharp — clever
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bound — tied together
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bound — obliged

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