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: fall · rash · trunk · pit · perch · temple · bore · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pit — in a race
  8. rash — hasty
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rash — a series
  15. cap — a hat
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bore — to tire
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fall — the season

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