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: branch · present · trunk · wave · arm · tear · toast · lie

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. tear — from crying
  4. present — there
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. present — the time now
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. present — a gift
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. branch — a division
  18. tear — to rip
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. tear — from crying
  21. toast — bread
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. lie — to recline
  24. wave — with your hand

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