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: lean · trunk · lash · foot · bank · kick · cap · spring

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. kick — in football
  3. cap — a hat
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. lean — to bend
  6. spring — of water
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bank — for money
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. cap — a lid
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bank — for money
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bank — of a river
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. foot — a measure
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. spring — the season

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