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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. root — of a plant
  3. lean — thin
  4. stem — to come from
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mug — to rob
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. present — there
  13. perch — the fish
  14. root — of a word
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. present — the time now
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. root — the cause
  21. lean — to bend
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. racket — a loud noise

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