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 120 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: kick · bark · trunk · charge · tube · swing · net · cell

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. net — for catching
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. net — in sport
  7. swing — music
  8. charge — in control
  9. swing — in golf
  10. charge — electricity
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. swing — to play on
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bark — to shout
  16. cell — in biology
  17. kick — in football
  18. tube — a container
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. net — after costs
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. charge — a price

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