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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. lean — to bend
  10. net — for catching
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. vault — a safe
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lean — thin
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. net — in sport
  20. wake — a trail
  21. charge — in control
  22. net — after costs
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. charge — a price

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