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: temple · mine · stem · mouse · kid · trunk · bank · plane

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bank — for money
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. kid — child
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. kid — to tease
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mine — for digging
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stem — to come from

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