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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. roll — a list
  6. squash — the sport
  7. dip — to sink
  8. mark — a grade
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mark — a trace
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. court — of a king
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. stem — to come from
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. roll — a cake
  18. court — for sport
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. squash — to crush
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. court — of law
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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