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: stem · trunk · file · branch · jam · capital · saw · cue

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. branch — a division
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. file — a document
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. saw — the tool
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. stem — to come from
  18. file — a tool
  19. file — a line of people
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. capital — money
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. capital — a city

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