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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: press · lean · temple · cue · nail · arm · bat · trunk

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bat — the animal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. press — newspapers
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lean — to bend
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cue — a hint
  15. lean — thin
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. trunk — of a tree

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