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: lean · trunk · capital · pop · jam · current · safe · fan

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. capital — money
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. pop — music
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. current — of water
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — to visit
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. current — happening now
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. current — electric
  24. trunk — of a tree

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