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

Word bank: trunk · rash · bark · root · content · swing · vault · date

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. rash — hasty
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. swing — music
  10. root — of a word
  11. date — the fruit
  12. content — the amount
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. swing — in golf
  16. root — the cause
  17. bark — to shout
  18. swing — to play on
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. rash — a series
  22. root — of a plant
  23. vault — a safe
  24. content — happy

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