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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. content — the amount
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. chip — for betting
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. suit — clothes
  8. prune — to trim
  9. drill — a practice
  10. prune — to trim
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. drill — army training
  13. cell — in biology
  14. hand — in cards
  15. content — happy
  16. mark — a trace
  17. drill — the tool
  18. suit — to fit
  19. hand — help
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. chip — to eat
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mark — a grade
  24. cell — a phone

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