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: pitcher · coach · branch · trunk · arm · object · lash · calf

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. object — a thing
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. branch — a division
  12. object — to protest
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. calf — of the leg

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