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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. key — the most important part
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. prune — to trim
  7. season — in sport
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. sharp — clever
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. rush — hurry
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. chip — to eat
  20. key — in music
  21. season — of the year
  22. key — for a lock
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. season — to add flavour

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