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: craft · net · ruler · coach · trunk · branch · pass · kid

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. net — for catching
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. kid — to tease
  8. net — after costs
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. pass — a permit
  12. kid — child
  13. branch — a division
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. net — in sport
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. craft — boats

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