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 120 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: fork · shower · charge · drill · trunk · wind · squash · mate

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. wind — moving air
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. mate — to breed
  6. charge — in control
  7. shower — to wash
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mate — a partner
  11. fork — in a road
  12. shower — rain
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. squash — to crush
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. drill — the tool
  17. charge — a price
  18. drill — army training
  19. drill — a practice
  20. mate — a friend
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. squash — the sport
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. wind — moving air

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