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 · mate · vault · racket · stem · bass · march · nail

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bass — low music
  5. march — the month
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. march — the month
  9. mate — to breed
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stem — to come from
  16. mate — a partner
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. march — music
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. mate — a friend
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bass — the instrument

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