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: current · trunk · prune · fine · race · chest · charge · firm

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. chest — of your body
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. firm — a company
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. charge — electricity
  12. firm — decided
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. chest — of your body
  15. current — of water
  16. chest — a box
  17. race — humankind
  18. prune — to trim
  19. firm — steady
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — high quality
  24. race — the arms race

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