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 · lie · squash · ball · mate · wave · firm · hand

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. lie — to recline
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. squash — the sport
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. firm — decided
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. hand — help
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. firm — a company
  11. squash — to crush
  12. ball — a dance
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — to breed
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ball — a great time
  20. mate — a friend
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. hand — in cards
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. hand — part of the body

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