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: content · charge · temple · club · nail · hand · trunk · spell

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. club — for dancing
  3. charge — in control
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. club — for golf
  7. content — the amount
  8. hand — in cards
  9. content — happy
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. club — a group
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. spell — magic
  19. charge — electricity
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hand — help
  22. charge — a price
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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