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: suit · craft · trunk · band · net · rash · file · sharp

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. suit — in cards
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. band — a ring
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. file — a document
  10. rash — hasty
  11. net — in sport
  12. suit — clothes
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. file — a tool
  15. band — a music group
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — after costs
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rash — a series
  21. suit — to fit
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. file — a line of people

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