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 116 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: charge · prune · tear · wake · coach · can · trunk · calf

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. charge — in control
  4. tear — to rip
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. can — a tin
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. tear — from crying
  9. charge — a price
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. prune — to trim
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. wake — a trail
  18. charge — electricity
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. tear — from crying
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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