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: trunk · cell · wave · saw · tube · staff · branch · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  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. safe — a strongbox
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. staff — employees
  6. cell — in biology
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. saw — the tool
  12. staff — a stick
  13. tube — the underground
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. branch — a division
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. staff — employees
  23. cell — a phone
  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