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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rush — hurry
  8. toast — bread
  9. field — for sport
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fine — high quality
  12. field — a subject
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bank — for money
  16. row — a line
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. craft — boats
  19. row — to paddle
  20. field — farmland
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. fine — all right
  23. bank — for money
  24. trunk — of a car

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