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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. staff — employees
  3. kick — in football
  4. staff — employees
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. track — a path
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bear — the animal
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bear — the animal
  18. track — to keep track
  19. fine — all right
  20. track — a song
  21. wake — a trail
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. nail — for a hammer

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