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 · fork · band · safe · snap · pitch · object · straw

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. snap — to click
  3. object — a thing
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pitch — completely
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. band — a music group
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. safe — out of danger

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