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: trunk · can · rock · row · land · saw · last · foot

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. row — to paddle
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. row — a line
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. can — a tin
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. last — to go on
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rock — music
  14. last — final
  15. foot — a measure
  16. land — a country
  17. last — finally
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. saw — the tool
  20. can — a tin
  21. rock — a stone
  22. land — ground
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. can — to be able to

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