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: scale · charge · land · trunk · toast · lash · cap · bound

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. cap — a lid
  6. land — ground
  7. charge — a price
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. toast — bread
  11. bound — certain
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. land — to come down
  15. scale — in music
  16. charge — in control
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bound — tied together
  19. cap — of ice
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. scale — size or range
  22. land — a country
  23. bound — obliged
  24. charge — electricity

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