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: charge · bulb · stem · kick · club · band · jam · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. band — a music group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. charge — a price
  7. stem — to come from
  8. club — for golf
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. charge — in control
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. kick — in football
  18. bulb — for light
  19. club — a group
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. band — a ring

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