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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. pitch — completely
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — hasty
  10. board — a committee
  11. bank — for money
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — farmland
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bank — of a river
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bank — for money
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bass — low music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. field — for sport

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