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: rash · net · lean · trunk · wind · foot · wake · fork

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. net — after costs
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. net — for catching
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rash — hasty
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. foot — a measure
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. net — in sport
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. rash — a series
  24. wind — moving air

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