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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  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. wax — for sculpting
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. drill — army training
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. face — part of the head
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. rule — government
  8. face — to confront
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. drill — a practice
  12. face — to point toward
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. ground — crushed
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ground — a position
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rule — a law
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rest — a break
  21. ground — the earth
  22. wax — to grow
  23. drill — the tool
  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