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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. root — of a plant
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fine — all right
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. root — of a word
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. root — the cause
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fall — the season
  23. bear — the animal
  24. leaves — lets stay

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