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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  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 a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. track — a song
  5. plane — a tool
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. row — a line
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bank — for money
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. track — to keep track
  13. row — to paddle
  14. shower — to wash
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. chair — a leader
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. track — a path
  23. shower — rain
  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