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: trunk · toast · straw · object · bark · temple · band · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. band — a ring
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. band — a music group
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. object — an aim
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. toast — bread
  24. bark — to shout

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