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 116 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: wake · bat · object · trunk · ruler · dip · coach · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. dip — to sink
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. object — to protest
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wake — a trail
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — an aim
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bat — the animal
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. dip — a sauce

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