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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. hand — help
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. race — a contest
  13. race — humankind
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. hand — in cards
  17. race — the arms race
  18. cap — a hat
  19. lean — thin
  20. bark — to shout
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. cap — of ice
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stem — to come from

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