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: dip · trunk · track · mug · bay · wound · wave · rule

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. mug — to rob
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. track — a path
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — a law
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rule — government
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mug — a face
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. track — a song
  24. trunk — of a car

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