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: sharp · rock · trunk · capital · calf · track · current · spring

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. track — a song
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. current — of water
  6. spring — of water
  7. capital — a city
  8. sharp — clever
  9. track — a path
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. current — electric
  12. capital — money
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. track — to keep track
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. spring — the season
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rock — music
  22. current — happening now
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. spring — a coil

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