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: snap · drill · temple · chest · bank · trunk · bulb · stock

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. stock — goods
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. snap — to click
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bulb — for light
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. drill — a practice
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. chest — a box
  19. stock — shares
  20. chest — of your body
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bank — of a river
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. chest — of your body

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