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: rush · stand · field · bulb · trunk · spell · swing · wind

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wind — moving air
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. field — a subject
  8. wind — moving air
  9. stand — to bear
  10. spell — magic
  11. rush — hurry
  12. field — farmland
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. field — for sport
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. swing — music
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. swing — in golf

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