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: leaves · ball · roll · bulb · stem · drill · snap · prune

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ball — a great time
  3. drill — a practice
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. roll — a list
  15. snap — to click
  16. bulb — for light
  17. drill — the tool
  18. ball — a dance
  19. roll — a cake
  20. stem — to come from
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bulb — for light
  24. drill — army training

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