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 120 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: present · nail · trunk · patient · track · mate · kick · saw

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mate — a partner
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mate — to breed
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. present — there
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mate — a friend
  16. present — a gift
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. kick — in football
  21. saw — the tool
  22. track — a song
  23. track — a path
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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