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: ruler · craft · row · rash · hand · staff · nail · trunk

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rash — a series
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. row — a line
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. staff — employees
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. staff — employees
  19. hand — help
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rash — hasty
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. row — to paddle

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