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: root · calf · mug · leaves · nail · net · fall · prune

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. root — of a word
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. net — in sport
  6. fall — to drop
  7. root — the cause
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. mug — to rob
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. prune — to trim
  12. net — for catching
  13. mug — a face
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. mug — a cup
  20. fall — the season
  21. root — of a plant
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. net — after costs
  24. nail — on a finger

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