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: fan · trunk · stick · hide · land · ball · ruler · mug

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. land — to come down
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. land — a country
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mug — a cup
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mug — a face
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ball — a great time
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mug — to rob
  24. land — ground

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