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 · calf · plane · shower · chair · lean · bulb · kick

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. lean — thin
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. plane — a tool
  7. shower — rain
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bulb — for light
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. shower — to wash
  18. chair — a leader
  19. kick — in football
  20. lean — to bend
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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