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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bark — to shout
  3. charge — a price
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. face — to point toward
  9. row — to paddle
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. face — to confront
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. row — a line
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. leaves — lets stay

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