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 116 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. branch — a division
  3. hand — in cards
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. net — in sport
  11. rock — a stone
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. dip — to sink
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rock — music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hand — help
  22. net — for catching
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. net — after costs

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