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: band · current · rash · bay · trunk · cabinet · season · stem

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. band — a music group
  5. rash — hasty
  6. current — happening now
  7. band — a ring
  8. rash — a series
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. stem — to come from
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. season — of the year
  21. current — electric
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. season — in sport
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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