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: stick · prune · root · saw · hand · rest · snap · spring

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. saw — the tool
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. spring — the season
  5. root — of a word
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. rest — what's left
  10. spring — of water
  11. hand — help
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rest — a break
  16. root — the cause
  17. spring — a coil
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. saw — the tool
  20. hand — in cards
  21. snap — to click
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rest — what's left
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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