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 116 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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. face — part of the head
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. saw — the tool
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. shower — to wash
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. face — to confront
  10. ground — crushed
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ground — a position
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. ground — the earth
  15. lean — thin
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rule — a law
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rule — government
  22. shower — rain
  23. face — to point toward
  24. rule — to rule out

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