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: trunk · bark · bass · calf · pitch · file · bulb · current

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. file — a tool
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bark — to shout
  8. current — electric
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. file — a document
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. current — of water
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. file — a line of people
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bulb — for light
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. current — happening now

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