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: calf · band · bank · pitcher · trunk · chest · hand · bass

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bank — for money
  5. chest — a box
  6. bass — low music
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. chest — of your body
  10. band — a ring
  11. bank — for money
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bank — of a river
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a music group
  18. hand — help
  19. chest — of your body
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. hand — in cards
  24. pitcher — a jug

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