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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. root — of a plant
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. fall — to drop
  5. root — the cause
  6. lean — to bend
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. root — of a word
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. object — to protest
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — an aim
  19. lean — thin
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fall — the season
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. fall — to drop

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