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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. cell — in biology
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. staff — employees
  8. present — there
  9. staff — a stick
  10. lie — to recline
  11. present — a gift
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. present — the time now
  15. mark — a trace
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. date — the fruit
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. staff — employees
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cell — a phone
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. mark — a grade

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