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 116 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: root · trunk · mark · cell · hide · pitcher · pop · fall

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. cell — in biology
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cell — a phone
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pop — soda
  13. root — of a word
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. pop — music
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. mark — a grade
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pitcher — a jug

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