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

Word bank: trunk · wake · season · hide · stand · charge

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wake — a trail
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. stand — to bear
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. hide — animal skin

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