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: calf · club · stick · chest · trunk · bass · plane · ruler

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. club — for dancing
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. chest — of your body
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. chest — a box
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bass — the fish
  15. plane — a tool
  16. club — for golf
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. club — a group
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bass — low music
  24. plane — in geometry

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