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: saw · cabinet · fork · spring · bark · lash · trunk · arm

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. fork — in a road
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bark — to shout
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. spring — the season
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. saw — the tool
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — of water
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. saw — the tool

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