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 · cell · plane · fan · mine · stand · rule · cabinet

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. rule — a law
  8. mine — for digging
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cell — a phone
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. cell — in biology
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. stand — to bear
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. rule — government
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mine — belonging to me

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