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: wound · trunk · vault · clip · dip · ruler · rash · mark

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. clip — to cut
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mark — a trace
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. rash — a series
  7. wound — an injury
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. vault — a safe
  10. clip — a video
  11. rash — hasty
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mark — a grade
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. wound — an injury
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. clip — for paper
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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