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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pit — in a race
  7. lie — to recline
  8. cue — for pool
  9. race — the arms race
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. foot — a measure
  13. toast — bread
  14. race — humankind
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. race — a contest
  19. cue — a hint
  20. prune — to trim
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pit — a hole

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