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: track · fan · foot · bay · bank · trunk · cell · net

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. net — for catching
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bank — of a river
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. foot — a measure
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cell — in biology
  15. bank — for money
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. track — a path
  22. net — in sport
  23. bank — for money
  24. cell — a phone

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