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: rash · track · spell · trunk · rest · chest · suit · lean

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. chest — a box
  3. suit — in cards
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. suit — clothes
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. lean — thin
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chest — of your body
  14. suit — to fit
  15. spell — magic
  16. track — a song
  17. rash — a series
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. chest — of your body
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. track — to keep track
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — a short time

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