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: wound · mine · lie · board · stem · rush · suit · trunk

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. mine — for digging
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stem — to come from
  9. board — a committee
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. suit — in cards
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. board — to get on
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. rush — hurry
  24. suit — clothes

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