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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. branch — a division
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. prune — to trim
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. prune — the fruit

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