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 · rock · ruler · craft · chest · row · kid · tube

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chest — of your body
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. tube — a container
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rock — music
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. row — a line
  12. craft — boats
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. kid — child
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. tube — the underground
  17. chest — of your body
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. rock — a stone
  20. craft — a skill
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. kid — to tease
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. craft — a handicraft

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