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 · pound · date · stem · cue · row · cabinet · key

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. key — the most important part
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. row — a line
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. cue — for pool
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. key — in music
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. cue — a signal
  18. row — to paddle
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. key — for a lock
  22. stem — to come from
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. date — on the calendar

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