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

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. stock — shares
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. club — a group
  8. file — a document
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. file — a tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. current — electric
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. stock — goods
  18. current — happening now
  19. file — a line of people
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. club — for dancing
  23. current — of water
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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