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: charge · pitcher · kick · lie · dip · trunk · temple · face

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. face — to confront
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. charge — electricity
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. lie — to recline
  11. face — to point toward
  12. kick — in football
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. face — part of the head
  18. dip — to sink
  19. charge — a price
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. charge — in control

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