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 120 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: spring · stock · trunk · arm · calf · wind · charge · squash

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. spring — a coil
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. spring — of water
  5. wind — moving air
  6. charge — electricity
  7. squash — the sport
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. spring — the season
  13. wind — moving air
  14. stock — goods
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stock — shares
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. charge — a price
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. squash — to crush

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