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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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. stock — goods
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. track — to keep track
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. track — a song
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. stock — shares
  23. track — a path
  24. leaves — lets stay

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