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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rush · race · cell · craft · kick · trunk

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. race — the arms race
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. kick — in football
  11. rush — hurry
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — a phone
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. race — a contest
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. cell — in biology
  18. craft — a skill

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