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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. present — a gift
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bound — obliged
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. present — there
  14. craft — a skill
  15. content — happy
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bound — tied together
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bound — certain
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. present — the time now
  24. craft — boats

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