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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pitch — completely
  3. wind — moving air
  4. hand — in cards
  5. branch — a division
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. suit — in cards
  8. hand — help
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. suit — clothes
  23. chair — a leader
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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