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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. capital — a city
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. face — to confront
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. face — part of the head
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lie — to recline
  18. firm — decided
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lean — thin
  21. face — to point toward
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. capital — money

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