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: prune · bowl · trunk · stick · present · board · season · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. prune — to trim
  5. present — there
  6. season — of the year
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. season — in sport
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. board — a committee
  21. mug — a cup
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. board — to get on
  24. prune — to trim

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