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 120 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 · spell · rock · deal · trunk · can · branch · present

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. present — a gift
  3. current — electric
  4. present — the time now
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. current — of water
  7. present — there
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. rock — music
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. current — happening now
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. deal — to handle
  17. spell — magic
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — letters

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