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 trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  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. temple — side of the head
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitch — completely
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lean — thin
  12. stem — to come from
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. drill — the tool
  17. lean — to bend
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. drill — a practice
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. drill — army training
  23. stem — of a plant
  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