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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. snap — to click
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. squash — to crush
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — a measure
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. spell — a short time
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. cap — of ice
  14. prune — to trim
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. spell — letters
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. squash — the sport
  24. spell — magic

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