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 120 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: bound · perch · calf · root · staff · stick · prune · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. staff — a stick
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. root — of a plant
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. staff — employees
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bound — obliged
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. net — after costs
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. net — in sport
  17. prune — to trim
  18. staff — employees
  19. bound — certain
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a word
  22. bound — tied together
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — the fish

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