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

Word bank: clip · calf · dip · rock · trunk · prune · press · nail

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. clip — a video
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rock — music
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. clip — for paper
  13. press — a publisher
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rock — a stone
  16. clip — to cut
  17. press — to push
  18. prune — to trim
  19. dip — to sink
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. press — newspapers
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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