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: season · ruler · trunk · saw · net · club · stem · vault

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. net — in sport
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. season — of the year
  5. club — a group
  6. vault — a safe
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. club — for dancing
  10. net — after costs
  11. stem — to come from
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. net — for catching
  19. season — in sport
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. saw — the tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. club — for golf

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