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: field · arm · bank · hide · present · trunk · wind · coach

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wind — moving air
  7. present — the time now
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bank — for money
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. field — for sport
  14. wind — moving air
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. field — a subject
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. present — there
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. present — a gift
  23. bank — for money
  24. field — farmland

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