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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. press — newspapers
  3. face — to point toward
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bank — for money
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. saw — the tool
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. saw — the tool
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. date — the fruit
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — to push
  21. bank — for money
  22. face — to confront
  23. bank — of a river
  24. lie — to recline

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