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

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. face — to confront
  6. perch — the fish
  7. face — part of the head
  8. file — a tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. file — a document
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lean — to bend
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. face — to point toward
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. file — a line of people
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. lean — thin
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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