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 · leaves · hide · row · last · trunk · squash · mark

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. mark — a trace
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. last — final
  7. rush — hurry
  8. row — a line
  9. mark — a grade
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. row — to paddle
  14. last — to go on
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. squash — to crush
  19. last — finally
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. squash — the sport
  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