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: kick · temple · stand · saw · straw · trunk · firm · mine

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mine — for digging
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. firm — steady
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. firm — decided
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. firm — a company
  16. stand — to bear
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. saw — the tool
  24. kick — in football

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