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 · rash · last · dip · object · bass · rock · calf

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. rash — a series
  3. object — to protest
  4. rash — hasty
  5. last — to go on
  6. object — a thing
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. last — final
  14. bass — low music
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. rock — music
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. last — finally
  22. rock — a stone
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bass — the fish

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