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: land · stick · stand · prune · foot · kick · degree · present

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. foot — a measure
  3. land — a country
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. present — the time now
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. degree — an amount
  11. kick — in football
  12. prune — to trim
  13. present — there
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. land — to come down
  18. land — ground
  19. prune — to trim
  20. degree — from a university
  21. present — a gift
  22. degree — temperature
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. foot — the bottom

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