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: arm · chip · trunk · drill · lean · wound · pass · stick

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. drill — army training
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. wound — an injury
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lean — thin
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. lean — to bend
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. drill — a practice
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — a permit
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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