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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. tear — from crying
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. craft — a skill
  5. tear — to rip
  6. track — a path
  7. track — a song
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. track — to keep track
  13. face — part of the head
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rush — hurry
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. face — to point toward
  19. rule — government
  20. face — to confront
  21. craft — boats
  22. tear — from crying
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rule — a law

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