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: row · deal · rest · face · spring · present · tear · trunk

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. tear — to rip
  3. rest — what's left
  4. face — part of the head
  5. deal — to handle
  6. tear — from crying
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rest — what's left
  9. spring — the season
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. face — to confront
  12. present — a gift
  13. tear — from crying
  14. spring — of water
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. rest — a break
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — there
  19. face — to point toward
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. spring — a coil
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. deal — a big deal

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