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 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. prune — to trim
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. track — a path
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. stem — to come from
  17. prune — to trim
  18. deal — to handle
  19. plane — a tool
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. track — to keep track
  22. branch — a division
  23. track — a song
  24. branch — of a bank

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