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: stick · chest · rush · lash · trunk · nail · prune · mug

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. prune — to trim
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. prune — to trim
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. chest — a box
  12. chest — of your body
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. chest — of your body
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — a face
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. 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