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 120 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: trunk · racket · march · vault · arm · lie · bark · deal

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lie — to recline
  3. march — music
  4. deal — to handle
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. march — the month
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bark — to shout
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. vault — a safe
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. march — the month
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. arm — part of the body

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