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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. content — happy
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. content — the amount
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. arm — part of the body

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