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: field · trunk · arm · press · bank · stick · ball · hide

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. bank — for money
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. field — for sport
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. ball — a dance
  11. press — to push
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. press — a publisher
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. field — a subject
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. press — newspapers
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. ball — a great time
  24. arm — part of the body

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