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: trunk · tube · degree · stock · leaves · face · rock · press

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stock — shares
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. press — newspapers
  8. rock — music
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. press — a publisher
  11. degree — temperature
  12. face — to confront
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. face — part of the head
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. face — to point toward
  17. degree — an amount
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. rock — a stone
  20. stock — goods
  21. press — to push
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. trunk — of a car

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