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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wind — moving air
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wind — moving air
  20. content — the amount
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. content — happy
  24. lash — an eyelash

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