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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. wind — moving air
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. foot — a measure
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rush — hurry
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wind — moving air
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — size or range
  14. track — to keep track
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. scale — in music
  21. track — a song
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. track — a path
  24. foot — part of the body

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