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: stick · saw · wave · kick · hide · bay · trunk · field

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. kick — in football
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. field — for sport
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. field — a subject
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. field — farmland
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. hide — to keep secret

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