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: stock · current · band · trunk · plane · hide · rush · mouse

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. rush — hurry
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stock — shares
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. current — happening now
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. current — of water
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. current — electric
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. band — a music group
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. band — a ring
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stock — goods

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