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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. root — the cause
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bore — to tire
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. field — for sport
  18. fork — in a road
  19. field — farmland
  20. bulb — for light
  21. field — a subject
  22. bulb — for light
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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