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: wave · suit · wound · net · bay · kick · row · trunk

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. row — a line
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. suit — to fit
  9. net — for catching
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. suit — clothes
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. net — in sport
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. net — after costs
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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