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: current · club · toast · trunk · suit · lash · rush · wake

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. rush — hurry
  6. club — for dancing
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. suit — in cards
  10. toast — bread
  11. current — electric
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — a group
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. current — of water
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. current — happening now
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. lash — to lash out

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