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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. tube — the underground
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. march — music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. charge — electricity
  9. march — the month
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. lean — to bend
  15. tube — a container
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. march — the month
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — in control
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. lean — thin
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. temple — a place of worship

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