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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. spring — of water
  6. rock — a stone
  7. current — happening now
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. can — to be able to
  12. spring — a coil
  13. can — a tin
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. current — electric
  17. tube — a container
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. can — a tin
  21. current — of water
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. spring — the season
  24. lie — to recline

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