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: swing · face · bay · stem · rush · trunk · mark · shower

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. face — part of the head
  3. swing — music
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. face — to point toward
  9. shower — to wash
  10. swing — in golf
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. face — to confront
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. rush — hurry
  23. swing — to play on
  24. shower — rain

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