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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: coach · prune · staff · mark · bark · sharp · root · cue

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. root — of a plant
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. root — of a word
  12. sharp — clever
  13. cue — a hint
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. root — the cause
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. staff — employees
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bark — to shout
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. coach — a trainer

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