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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. key — in music
  5. hand — in cards
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hand — help
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. key — the most important part
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. key — for a lock
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bound — certain
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the sport
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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