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: content · trunk · chest · rash · lie · wind · track · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rash — hasty
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. chest — a box
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. content — the amount
  9. face — to point toward
  10. track — a path
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. lie — to recline
  17. chest — of your body
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. content — happy
  20. rash — a series
  21. wind — moving air
  22. chest — of your body
  23. face — to confront
  24. wind — moving air

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