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: trunk · band · press · content · cap · perch · prune · pitch

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. band — a music group
  3. prune — to trim
  4. press — newspapers
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. prune — to trim
  9. press — to push
  10. content — the amount
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pitch — completely
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. press — a publisher
  15. content — happy
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. band — a ring
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — of ice
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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