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: pound · rash · chip · trunk · straw · foot · temple · wake

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. foot — a measure
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pound — a weight
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. chip — for betting
  13. rash — hasty
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. wake — a trail
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rash — a series
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. temple — a place of worship

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