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: nail · trunk · rule · cabinet · bound · lie · dip · bat

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — obliged
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rule — government
  17. lie — to recline
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. rule — a law
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bound — tied together

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