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: bank · rash · trunk · land · key · mouse · calf · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — a country
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. content — happy
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bank — for money
  10. land — ground
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — hasty
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. content — the amount
  21. key — in music
  22. bank — of a river
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mouse — the animal

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