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: bound · hand · ball · trunk · bay · leaves · spell · lash

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. hand — help
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — magic
  7. bound — certain
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. hand — in cards
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bound — tied together
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. ball — a great time
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bound — obliged
  23. spell — letters
  24. leaves — to go away

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