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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rock — music
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. hand — help
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. press — a publisher
  16. hand — in cards
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. press — to push
  19. game — a match
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wake — a trail
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rock — a stone
  24. game — a kind of play

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