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: wind · trunk · pit · kid · chip · tube · shower · bay

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  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 tree
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. tube — a container
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. tube — the underground
  7. shower — rain
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. kid — child
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pit — in a race
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. kid — to tease
  18. chip — to eat
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wind — moving air
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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