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: rule · bank · rush · ball · trunk · arm · wound · rest

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ball — a great time
  4. rule — government
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. wound — an injury
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. wound — an injury
  11. rest — a break
  12. rule — a law
  13. bank — for money
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bank — of a river
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bank — for money
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — hurry
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. arm — part of the body

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