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 lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. toast — bread
  3. content — the amount
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — to come from
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. rule — a law
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rule — government
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. content — happy
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. content — videos and posts

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