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 · snap · board · safe · dip · tear · mark · bowl

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. tear — to rip
  3. snap — to click
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. board — a committee
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. tear — from crying
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. dip — to sink
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. tear — from crying
  24. board — to get on

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