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 116 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: present · plane · stick · cabinet · bore · trunk · cue · prune

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. plane — a tool
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bore — to drill
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. cue — a signal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bore — to tire
  15. prune — to trim
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. present — the time now
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. prune — to trim
  21. present — there
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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