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 116 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: board · bark · mug · current · leaves · prune · swing · root

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. root — of a word
  6. prune — to trim
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bark — to shout
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. swing — in golf
  18. board — a committee
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. root — the cause
  23. current — electric
  24. leaves — of a tree

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