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 116 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: pop · wound · ruler · board · trunk · mate · lash · hide

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. pop — music
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. board — a committee
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pop — to visit
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mate — a friend
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pop — soda
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mate — to breed
  24. board — to get on

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