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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. branch — a division
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pop — soda
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — a hat
  9. last — to go on
  10. hand — help
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pop — music
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. last — final
  15. last — finally
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. hand — in cards
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bank — for money
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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