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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. mark — a grade
  3. current — happening now
  4. stem — to come from
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. root — of a plant
  8. mark — a trace
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. root — of a word
  11. key — in music
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. current — of water
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. deal — to handle
  18. current — electric
  19. bore — to drill
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bore — to tire
  22. key — for a lock
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. root — the cause

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