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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. mark — a trace
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. staff — employees
  7. club — for dancing
  8. staff — employees
  9. mark — a grade
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — a group
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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