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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. root — of a word
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. board — a committee
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. root — the cause
  14. pit — a hole
  15. board — to get on
  16. root — of a plant
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. date — the fruit
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. date — on the calendar

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