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: bark · trunk · fall · chip · bay · arm · straw · rest

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fall — to drop
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. fall — the season
  9. rest — what's left
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rest — a break
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bark — to shout
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rest — what's left
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. fall — to drop
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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