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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. spring — the season
  8. root — of a plant
  9. prune — to trim
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. spring — a coil
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. root — the cause
  14. vault — a safe
  15. content — the amount
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. content — happy
  18. root — of a word
  19. spring — of water
  20. ball — a dance
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ball — a great time
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. ball — a round shape

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