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: toast · hide · trunk · nail · scale · bulb · sharp · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. sharp — clever
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. scale — size or range
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — bread
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bulb — of a plant

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