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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. saw — the tool
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. can — to be able to
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. staff — employees
  8. face — to point toward
  9. board — a committee
  10. staff — a stick
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — an amount
  13. staff — employees
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — after costs
  16. board — to get on
  17. net — in sport
  18. face — to confront
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. saw — the tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. degree — temperature
  24. face — part of the head

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