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: wake · trunk · rock · net · root · lash · file · cue

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. net — after costs
  7. file — a document
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. root — the cause
  11. net — in sport
  12. root — of a plant
  13. wake — a trail
  14. net — for catching
  15. cue — a signal
  16. rock — music
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. root — of a word
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a tool

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