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: chest · content · racket · bank · perch · trunk · rush · leaves

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. chest — of your body
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. content — the amount
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. content — happy
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bank — for money
  16. perch — the fish
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. rush — hurry
  21. chest — a box
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. content — videos and posts

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