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: trunk · spell · tear · rule · mark · lie · arm · current

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. current — electric
  3. current — of water
  4. rule — government
  5. lie — to recline
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — a short time
  10. mark — a trace
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. current — happening now
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. mark — a grade
  20. spell — magic
  21. rule — a law
  22. tear — to rip
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. arm — part of the body

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