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 · jam · date · bound · prune · mug · roll · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bound — obliged
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. lean — to bend
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mug — to rob
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bound — certain
  13. mug — a face
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. roll — a list
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mug — a cup
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bound — tied together
  23. roll — a cake
  24. date — the fruit

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