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: wound · track · nail · face · bank · racket · trunk · bat

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. track — a path
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. face — to point toward
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. track — to keep track
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bank — for money
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bank — for money
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bat — the animal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — part of the head
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wound — an injury
  24. track — a song

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