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 116 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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. stem — to come from
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. object — an aim
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. sharp — clever
  15. object — to protest
  16. bore — to tire
  17. object — a thing
  18. rule — government
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a line
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rule — a law

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