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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. content — the amount
  4. prune — to trim
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. kid — to tease
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. suit — to fit
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. content — happy
  18. kid — child
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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