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: stick · trunk · chair · squash · court · roll · sharp · root

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a word
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. root — of a plant
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. roll — a list
  9. sharp — clever
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. court — for sport
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. court — of law
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. squash — the sport
  16. chair — a leader
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. roll — a cake
  20. court — of a king
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. squash — to crush

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