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: object · perch · dip · root · trunk · bulb · lash · hand

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. bulb — for light
  3. object — a thing
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. hand — in cards
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. root — the cause
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. dip — to sink
  14. object — an aim
  15. hand — help
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. object — to protest
  23. dip — a sauce
  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