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 · present · pitch · nail · face · safe · march · root

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. march — the month
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. present — the time now
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. face — part of the head
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. march — the month
  15. face — to confront
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. root — of a plant
  18. march — music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. present — there
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pitch — completely
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. face — to point toward

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