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: court · fine · sharp · rock · stem · press · toast · trunk

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. press — to push
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. court — of a king
  8. fine — all right
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. court — of law
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. court — for sport
  15. sharp — clever
  16. toast — bread
  17. press — newspapers
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. press — a publisher

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