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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. prune — to trim
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. object — a thing
  10. bulb — for light
  11. object — to protest
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. lie — to recline
  14. board — a committee
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. last — to go on
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. shower — to wash
  19. last — final
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bulb — for light
  22. object — an aim
  23. shower — rain
  24. last — finally

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