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 120 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: leaves · patient · temple · rush · bank · trunk · bat · board

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. rush — hurry
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bank — for money
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. board — a committee
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. board — to get on
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bat — the animal
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bank — for money
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. rush — a thrill

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