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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. squash — to crush
  8. object — an aim
  9. staff — employees
  10. squash — the sport
  11. land — a country
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fine — all right
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. staff — employees
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. land — ground
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. face — part of the head
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. face — to confront

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