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 120 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 · prune · pop · plane · net · bark · staff · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. pop — to visit
  4. foot — a measure
  5. pop — soda
  6. net — in sport
  7. staff — employees
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pop — music
  10. bark — to shout
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. staff — employees
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. net — for catching
  15. plane — a tool
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. net — after costs
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. staff — a stick
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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