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: net · trunk · pit · lie · tear · mark · wind · can

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. tear — from crying
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. can — a tin
  8. net — after costs
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mark — a grade
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. net — in sport
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. net — for catching
  16. tear — from crying
  17. can — a tin
  18. lie — to recline
  19. tear — to rip
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mark — a trace
  22. wind — moving air
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. can — to be able to

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