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: degree · temple · staff · safe · court · trunk · pass · bank

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. degree — an amount
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bank — for money
  6. staff — a stick
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pass — a permit
  10. court — for sport
  11. bank — for money
  12. staff — employees
  13. bank — of a river
  14. court — of law
  15. degree — temperature
  16. court — of a king
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. degree — from a university
  22. staff — employees
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pass — to spend time

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