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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. scale — in music
  8. bank — for money
  9. rush — hurry
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. branch — a division
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stock — shares
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stock — goods
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. scale — size or range

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