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: bat · bass · can · lash · trunk · lean · ruler · spell

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bat — the animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bass — low music
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lean — thin
  14. spell — magic
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. can — a tin
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. spell — letters

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