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: calf · bound · arm · prune · cue · field · rush · chair

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. prune — to trim
  5. chair — a leader
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. cue — a signal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bound — obliged
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rush — hurry
  14. field — farmland
  15. bound — certain
  16. field — a subject
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. field — for sport
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. cue — a hint
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bound — tied together
  23. cue — for pool
  24. chair — a professorship

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