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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. march — the month
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bat — the animal
  5. march — the month
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. march — music
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. nail — on a finger

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