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 124 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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. rash — hasty
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — help
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pound — a weight
  13. branch — a division
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. face — part of the head
  17. rash — a series
  18. pit — a hole
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. rest — a break
  21. face — to point toward
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. face — to confront
  24. trunk — of a car

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