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 · suit · club · plane · stick · season · roll · face

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. season — in sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. club — for golf
  5. face — part of the head
  6. season — of the year
  7. face — to confront
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. club — for dancing
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. roll — a cake
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. roll — a list
  16. suit — to fit
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. face — to point toward
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. club — a group
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. suit — in cards

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