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: trunk · leaves · face · craft · ground · arm · press · mark

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. press — newspapers
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. press — a publisher
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — the earth
  9. face — to confront
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. face — part of the head
  15. press — to push
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mark — a trace
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. craft — a skill
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. ground — a position
  22. mark — a grade
  23. face — to point toward
  24. craft — boats

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