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 · mark · ruler · mine · wind · scale · charge · bank

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. scale — size or range
  3. wind — moving air
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bank — for money
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. scale — in music
  9. mine — for digging
  10. charge — electricity
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bank — for money
  15. mark — a trace
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — a price
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bank — of a river
  22. wind — moving air
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. mark — a grade

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