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: dip · cell · track · trunk · branch · can · march · firm

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. can — a tin
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. cell — in biology
  7. branch — a division
  8. can — a tin
  9. track — a path
  10. dip — to sink
  11. track — to keep track
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. firm — a company
  16. march — the month
  17. march — music
  18. can — to be able to
  19. track — a song
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. firm — steady
  22. cell — a phone
  23. firm — decided
  24. march — the month

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