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: race · snap · temple · trunk · bay · saw · rash · fork

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. snap — to click
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. race — a contest
  10. rash — hasty
  11. fork — in a road
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. race — humankind
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. race — the arms race
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. rash — a series
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. fork — to eat with

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