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 124 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: kick · rush · cell · face · stand · jam · trunk · cabinet

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — a phone
  9. rush — hurry
  10. kick — in football
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. face — to confront
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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