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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. charge — in control
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. present — a gift
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. cell — in biology
  13. present — there
  14. cell — a phone
  15. prune — to trim
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pit — in a race
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. present — the time now
  20. charge — a price
  21. pit — a hole
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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