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: ground · craft · fine · squash · dip · object · coach · trunk

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. ground — a position
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. fine — all right
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. squash — the sport
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. craft — boats
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. fine — high quality
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. craft — a skill
  15. ground — the earth
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. object — a thing
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. ground — crushed
  23. squash — to crush
  24. object — an aim

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