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 · pass · file · stick · coach · hide · sharp · season

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. file — a tool
  3. season — in sport
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. file — a line of people
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — of the year
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. file — a document
  23. sharp — clever
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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