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: trunk · prune · band · current · toast · stem · pound · board

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. toast — bread
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pound — a weight
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — of water
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. band — a ring
  17. prune — to trim
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. current — electric
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. band — a music group
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. board — a flat piece

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