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: pit · trunk · chest · toast · stock · row · nail · drill

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — the tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chest — of your body
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. row — a line
  9. stock — shares
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. chest — a box
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. pit — a hole
  17. drill — army training
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. chest — of your body
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. toast — bread
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. row — to paddle

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