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: rush · row · cell · trunk · safe · calf · ball · temple

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. ball — a great time
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cell — in biology
  6. ball — a dance
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. row — a line
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. cell — a phone
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. rush — hurry
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. ball — a round shape

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