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: lean · root · sharp · plane · bulb · scale · trunk · pop

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bulb — for light
  7. root — of a word
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pop — music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pop — soda
  16. scale — in music
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. pop — to visit
  19. root — of a plant
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. sharp — clever
  24. root — the cause

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