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 · racket · current · branch · cabinet · rock · trunk · scale

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. current — electric
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. track — a song
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. rock — a stone
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. track — a path
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. track — to keep track
  21. current — happening now
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. current — of water
  24. branch — a division

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