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: net · rock · trunk · face · spring · pit · board · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. pit — a hole
  3. net — for catching
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. face — to point toward
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. spring — the season
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. face — to confront
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. net — in sport
  13. board — to get on
  14. net — after costs
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rock — music
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pit — in a race
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. face — part of the head
  23. spring — of water
  24. spring — a coil

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