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: row · toast · trunk · mouse · fine · stem · staff · lean

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. staff — employees
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — high quality
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. row — a line
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. staff — employees
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stem — to come from
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. staff — a stick
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. lean — thin
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. row — to paddle
  21. toast — bread
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. trunk — of a tree

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