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 · scale · coach · last · hide · dip · content

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. last — final
  3. lie — to recline
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. scale — size or range
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. last — to go on
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — happy
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. last — finally
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. dip — to dunk

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