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: net · hide · track · ruler · rash · trunk · fall · foot

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. fall — to drop
  3. net — for catching
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. rash — a series
  11. track — a song
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — after costs
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. foot — a measure

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