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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. degree — temperature
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. degree — from a university
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. face — part of the head
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. rule — a law
  12. present — there
  13. rule — government
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rush — hurry
  17. face — to confront
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. degree — an amount
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. face — to point toward

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