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 120 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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. cap — a lid
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. cap — of ice
  8. face — to confront
  9. spring — the season
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. stem — to come from
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. face — to point toward
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. face — part of the head
  16. cap — a hat
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — of water
  19. stand — to bear
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bass — low music
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — the fish

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