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: deal · toast · file · content · trunk · lash · race · stand

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. file — a tool
  5. race — the arms race
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. content — the amount
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a line of people
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. race — humankind
  15. toast — bread
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. stand — to bear
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. deal — to handle
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. race — a contest
  24. content — happy

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