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: craft · bark · lean · mug · kick · fan · bowl · prune

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mug — to rob
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. prune — to trim
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. kick — in football
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. craft — boats
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mug — a face
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bark — to shout

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