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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. dip — to sink
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pound — a weight
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. track — to keep track
  14. face — to point toward
  15. roll — a list
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. roll — a cake
  19. cue — a hint
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. trunk — of a car

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