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: staff · trunk · mine · pass · season · lie · can · tear

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. staff — a stick
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. staff — employees
  8. can — a tin
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mine — for digging
  11. season — in sport
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. staff — employees
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. lie — to recline
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pass — a permit
  23. tear — to rip
  24. lie — an untruth

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