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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. present — there
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mate — a partner
  10. present — the time now
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. present — a gift
  17. wound — an injury
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pass — a permit
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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