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: branch · bass · pit · vault · pass · press · trunk · spell

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pass — a permit
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — letters
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bass — low music
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. branch — a division
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pit — in a race
  22. spell — magic
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. pit — a hole

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