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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. face — to point toward
  4. wound — an injury
  5. swing — to play on
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mate — to breed
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. face — to confront
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. lean — thin
  16. mate — a friend
  17. swing — music
  18. face — part of the head
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mate — a partner
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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