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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mark — a trace
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. face — to confront
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. ground — crushed
  9. face — to point toward
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. ground — a position
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. fork — in a road
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. ground — the earth
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. mark — a grade
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. face — part of the head
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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