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 · dip · deal · cabinet · arm · bank · capital · current

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  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. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — to sink
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bank — for money
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bank — for money
  13. current — electric
  14. capital — money
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. current — happening now
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. current — of water
  22. deal — to handle
  23. capital — a city
  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