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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. roll — a cake
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — to bend
  11. object — to protest
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. object — a thing
  17. lean — thin
  18. stem — to come from
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. roll — a list
  21. object — an aim
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. vault — a safe
  24. roll — on a roll

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