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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. lean — thin
  5. rash — a series
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. scale — in music
  14. bank — for money
  15. pitch — completely
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bank — for money
  24. rash — hasty

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