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

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. current — happening now
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. current — of water
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. kid — to tease
  7. rock — music
  8. bank — of a river
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. current — electric
  11. season — of the year
  12. drill — the tool
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bank — for money
  15. rock — a stone
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — army training
  21. tube — a container
  22. season — in sport
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bank — for money

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