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: content · bulb · stem · face · root · prune · arm · charge

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. charge — a price
  3. root — of a plant
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a word
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. charge — electricity
  11. face — to confront
  12. bulb — for light
  13. prune — to trim
  14. charge — in control
  15. face — part of the head
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. content — the amount
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bulb — for light
  22. content — happy
  23. face — to point toward
  24. stem — a stem cell

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