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: press · bark · ground · content · lie · prune · rush · vault

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bark — to shout
  7. ground — a position
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. content — happy
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ground — crushed
  13. content — the amount
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. press — newspapers
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. vault — a safe

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