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: leaves · trunk · pit · nail · chair · court · bark · row

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. row — to paddle
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. court — of a king
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. court — for sport
  13. row — a line
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bark — to shout
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. chair — a leader
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. court — of law
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — in a race

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