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: fall · charge · wake · calf · root · cap · prune · rest

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — a lid
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fall — to drop
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. prune — to trim
  12. charge — in control
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. fall — the season
  17. root — the cause
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wake — a trail
  21. cap — of ice
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rest — a break
  24. charge — a price

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