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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. can — a tin
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — a friend
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mate — to breed
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — to confront
  16. can — to be able to
  17. drill — army training
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. drill — the tool
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. can — a tin
  24. drill — a practice

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