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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  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. face — to point toward
  3. bass — the fish
  4. press — newspapers
  5. squash — to crush
  6. press — a publisher
  7. stock — shares
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bass — low music
  11. stock — goods
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. face — to confront
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. rule — government
  16. squash — the sport
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. press — to push
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. face — part of the head
  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