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: current · craft · trunk · stock · chip · mine · rock · rule

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. craft — a skill
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. stock — shares
  9. current — electric
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rule — government
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — of water
  19. stock — goods
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rule — a law

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