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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. row — to paddle
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rule — government
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bass — the fish
  10. board — a committee
  11. race — the arms race
  12. row — a line
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rule — a law
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. board — to get on
  24. bass — low music

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