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: stand · dip · tube · prune · can · swing · trunk · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. swing — music
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. swing — to play on
  8. prune — to trim
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. swing — in golf
  15. tube — the underground
  16. mark — a trace
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. can — a tin
  20. dip — to sink
  21. can — to be able to
  22. tube — a container
  23. prune — to trim
  24. can — a tin

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