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: lash · key · trunk · lean · suit · capital · bass · ground

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. capital — money
  5. bass — the fish
  6. suit — clothes
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — thin
  11. suit — in cards
  12. key — for a lock
  13. ground — a position
  14. key — the most important part
  15. capital — a city
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bass — low music
  18. suit — to fit
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. key — in music
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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