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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rule — a law
  9. stand — to bear
  10. rule — government
  11. lie — to recline
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. dip — to sink
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. dip — to dunk

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