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 · bowl · date · plane · swing · wound · rock · chair

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. swing — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. chair — a leader
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. plane — a tool
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — in golf
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. wound — an injury
  11. rock — music
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. rock — a stone
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wound — an injury
  23. date — the fruit
  24. bowl — to roll

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