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 · straw · tube · stem · pit · rash · suit · staff

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. suit — to fit
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rash — hasty
  6. staff — a stick
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. pit — a hole
  10. staff — employees
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. staff — employees
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pit — in a race
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rash — a series
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. stem — to come from
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. suit — in cards

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