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: kick · stand · object · cell · file · trunk · rock · dip

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. object — an aim
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. file — a tool
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. file — a document
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. rock — music
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. dip — to sink
  17. object — to protest
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. rock — a stone
  20. kick — in football
  21. cell — a phone
  22. cell — in biology
  23. file — a line of people
  24. object — a thing

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