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: wind · racket · craft · shower · trunk · firm · ground · suit

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. ground — a position
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wind — moving air
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. suit — to fit
  10. firm — decided
  11. craft — boats
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — the earth
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. shower — to wash
  16. firm — steady
  17. shower — rain
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. firm — a company
  21. suit — in cards
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. craft — a skill
  24. trunk — of a tree

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