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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. prune — to trim
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. fall — to drop
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. fall — the season
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. fall — to drop
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. cell — a phone
  24. ruler — for measuring

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