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 116 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: stem · face · hide · swing · rock · wax · trunk · suit

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. swing — to play on
  4. face — to confront
  5. suit — in cards
  6. stem — to come from
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. face — to point toward
  15. swing — music
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. swing — in golf
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. rock — a stone
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rock — music

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