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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cap — a hat
  3. file — a tool
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mate — to breed
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. board — to get on
  9. mate — a partner
  10. board — a committee
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. file — a document
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. mine — for digging
  17. cap — of ice
  18. mate — a friend
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. file — a line of people
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. kick — in football
  24. bay — a horse colour

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