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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. march — the month
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. march — music
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. chair — a leader
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. rest — a break
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — to tire
  17. prune — to trim
  18. march — the month
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pit — in a race
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bore — gave birth

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