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 120 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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. chest — of your body
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bound — tied together
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. last — finally
  8. bound — certain
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. chest — of your body
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bound — obliged
  13. chest — a box
  14. last — to go on
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. last — final
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. prune — to trim
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. snap — to click
  24. pitch — completely

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