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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · bank · charge · cell · kick · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. kick — in football
  3. bank — for money
  4. charge — in control
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. charge — a price
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cell — in biology
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cell — a phone
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. charge — electricity

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