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

Word bank: trunk · temple · press · wave · hand · rush · firm · pass

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. firm — decided
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — in cards
  8. press — newspapers
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. press — a publisher
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. firm — steady
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. firm — a company
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. press — to push
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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