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

Word bank: bark · trunk · present · ruler · kid · last

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. last — to go on
  7. present — the time now
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. present — a gift
  11. bark — to shout
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. present — there
  15. kid — child
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. last — finally
  18. trunk — of an elephant

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