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: arm · lash · rash · trunk · foot · track · game · sharp

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — to keep track
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. rash — a series
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. sharp — clever
  9. game — wild animals
  10. foot — a measure
  11. game — a match
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. track — a path
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — on the skin

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