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: trunk · kick · season · wind · plane · bound · lean · pit

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. trunk — of a tree
  2. pit — a hole
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. wind — moving air
  5. kick — in football
  6. season — in sport
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bound — certain
  11. lean — to bend
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bound — tied together
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. wind — moving air
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pit — in a race
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. lean — thin
  22. bound — obliged
  23. season — of the year
  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