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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. lean — to bend
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. season — of the year
  7. chip — to eat
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. chip — for betting
  12. net — in sport
  13. track — a song
  14. prune — to trim
  15. lean — thin
  16. track — a path
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — for catching
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. track — to keep track
  24. suit — in cards

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