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

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. land — ground
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. land — a country
  13. mark — a grade
  14. ground — a position
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ground — crushed
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ground — the earth
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. land — to come down
  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