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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bank — of a river
  5. rule — a law
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bank — for money
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. prune — to trim
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bank — for money
  13. prune — to trim
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. content — happy
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. content — the amount
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. calf — a young animal

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