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: stem · root · wake · foot · vault · prune · arm · march

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. foot — a measure
  5. wake — a trail
  6. vault — a safe
  7. root — of a plant
  8. prune — to trim
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. march — music
  11. stem — to come from
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. prune — to trim
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. march — the month
  16. root — of a word
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. root — the cause
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. arm — a part of something

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