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

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. mark — a grade
  4. present — there
  5. cell — a phone
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. present — the time now
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. kick — in football
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. prune — to trim
  16. content — the amount
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. cell — in biology
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mark — a trace
  23. prune — to trim
  24. content — happy

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