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: coach · trunk · root · kick · arm · dip · bat · bowl

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a plant
  12. kick — in football
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. root — of a word
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bat — the animal
  20. dip — to sink
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. kick — with a leg

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