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: trunk · kick · race · stem · stick · cabinet

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stem — to come from
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. race — the arms race
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. race — humankind
  13. kick — in football
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. race — a contest
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. kick — a thrill

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