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 116 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: fine · degree · fall · current · trunk · kick · stand · capital

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. capital — money
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fine — all right
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. kick — in football
  9. degree — an amount
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. current — electric
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fall — to drop
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. current — of water
  18. capital — a city
  19. fall — the season
  20. degree — from a university
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. degree — temperature
  24. stand — to bear

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