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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. pit — in a race
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. cap — of ice
  5. fall — the season
  6. pit — a hole
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. object — to protest
  9. hand — in cards
  10. fall — to drop
  11. cap — a lid
  12. tube — a container
  13. hand — help
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. object — an aim
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. cap — a hat
  22. fall — to drop
  23. tube — the underground
  24. object — a thing

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