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 116 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 · cell · face · fork · leaves · fall · rock · mark

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. face — part of the head
  3. mark — a trace
  4. face — to point toward
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rock — music
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. cell — a phone
  13. fork — in a road
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. face — to confront
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cell — in biology
  20. mark — a grade
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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