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 120 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: snap · trunk · swing · root · dip · key · bark · wound

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. dip — to sink
  7. root — of a plant
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. swing — in golf
  11. root — the cause
  12. swing — music
  13. snap — to click
  14. wound — an injury
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. root — of a word
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bark — to shout
  24. swing — to play on

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