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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. face — part of the head
  7. cap — a hat
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. sharp — clever
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. cap — a lid
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. face — to confront
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. face — to point toward
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. cap — of ice
  24. trunk — of a car

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