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: rock · trunk · shower · leaves · file · scale · pit · pop

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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. shower — a meteor shower
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. scale — in music
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. file — a line of people
  12. scale — size or range
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. shower — to wash
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pit — in a race
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. file — a document
  20. pop — soda
  21. file — a tool
  22. shower — rain
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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