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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. suit — to fit
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. lean — thin
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. deal — to handle
  16. cold — an illness
  17. mark — a trace
  18. lean — to bend
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. shower — rain
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. cold — not warm
  23. suit — in cards
  24. deal — an agreement

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