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: saw · trunk · row · file · prune · coach · lean · march

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. row — to paddle
  8. saw — the tool
  9. file — a document
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. row — a line
  16. lean — thin
  17. file — a line of people
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. file — a tool
  20. lean — to bend
  21. saw — the tool
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. march — music
  24. row — a quarrel

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