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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rash — hasty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rock — music
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rash — a series
  16. branch — a division
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. lie — to recline
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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