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

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. prune — to trim
  4. cell — a phone
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lean — to bend
  8. key — in music
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. key — for a lock
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cell — in biology
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stand — to bear
  22. lean — thin
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. calf — of the leg

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