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: roll · trunk · present · wax · can · dip · root · staff

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. can — a tin
  3. staff — employees
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. wax — to grow
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. can — a tin
  9. root — the cause
  10. present — a gift
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. root — of a plant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. root — of a word
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. present — the time now
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. roll — a list
  21. can — to be able to
  22. dip — to sink
  23. present — there
  24. roll — a cake

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