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: deal · wave · trunk · roll · mine · face · bass · net

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. net — after costs
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. roll — a list
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. mine — for digging
  12. face — to confront
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. deal — to handle
  15. face — to point toward
  16. roll — a cake
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. face — part of the head
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — in sport

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