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: snap · rest · arm · bark · lean · prune · leaves · content

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. content — the amount
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. prune — to trim
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. prune — to trim
  9. content — happy
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to click
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. rest — what's left
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. content — videos and posts

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