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: current · drill · trunk · degree · stick · staff · branch · clip

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. current — of water
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. degree — from a university
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. staff — employees
  10. degree — an amount
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. clip — for paper
  14. clip — a video
  15. staff — a stick
  16. current — electric
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — army training
  19. staff — employees
  20. branch — a division
  21. degree — temperature
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. clip — to cut
  24. current — happening now

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