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: calf · leaves · chest · roll · content · wound · lash · prune

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wound — an injury
  4. chest — of your body
  5. content — happy
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. roll — a cake
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. chest — a box
  16. prune — to trim
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. content — the amount
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. roll — a list
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chest — of your body
  24. wound — an injury

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