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: safe · chest · roll · toast · cabinet · trunk · kick · face

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. face — to confront
  5. kick — in football
  6. chest — of your body
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. chest — a box
  9. face — to point toward
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. roll — a cake
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. chest — of your body
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. face — part of the head
  21. roll — a list
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. kick — with a leg

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