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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pit — in a race
  4. cell — in biology
  5. prune — to trim
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. track — a song
  11. track — to keep track
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. hand — help
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. hand — in cards
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. track — a path
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. pit — a hole
  24. prune — to trim

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