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 120 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: scale · rash · club · trunk · row · can · deal · patient

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. scale — in music
  4. deal — to handle
  5. rash — a series
  6. row — to paddle
  7. can — a tin
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. club — for golf
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. scale — size or range
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. row — a line
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. can — a tin
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rash — hasty
  23. can — to be able to
  24. row — a quarrel

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