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 · saw · track · kid · cap · current · fall · perch

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. track — to keep track
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. fall — to drop
  8. current — happening now
  9. cap — a hat
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — child
  12. track — a path
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. fall — the season
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. perch — the fish
  19. current — of water
  20. fall — to drop
  21. track — a song
  22. saw — the tool
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. saw — the tool

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