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 116 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: cue · bank · track · file · land · stand · stick · trunk

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. cue — for pool
  4. track — a path
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. land — to come down
  8. stand — to bear
  9. land — ground
  10. track — to keep track
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. land — a country
  18. cue — a hint
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. file — a document
  24. track — a song

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