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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. face — to point toward
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. face — part of the head
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. wake — a trail
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bear — the animal
  21. face — to confront
  22. branch — a division
  23. can — to be able to
  24. perch — for a bird

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