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 · pass · calf · chest · leaves · row · wake · pop

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. chest — a box
  7. pop — music
  8. row — to paddle
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. chest — of your body
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. wake — a trail
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — to visit
  24. row — a line

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