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: content · dip · date · prune · mate · wound · staff · stand

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. content — the amount
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. staff — a stick
  5. dip — to sink
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. date — the fruit
  11. mate — to breed
  12. content — happy
  13. wound — an injury
  14. staff — employees
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. mate — a partner
  17. stand — to bear
  18. staff — employees
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. mate — a friend
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. wound — an injury

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