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 · bulb · leaves · charge · mine · arm · can · press

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. press — a publisher
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. can — to be able to
  14. charge — electricity
  15. press — newspapers
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bulb — for light
  18. press — to push
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bulb — for light
  21. can — a tin
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. leaves — lets stay

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