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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  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. prune — to trim
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. land — to come down
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. swing — music
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. swing — in golf
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. land — ground
  17. land — a country
  18. deal — to handle
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. chip — to eat
  22. swing — to play on
  23. chip — for betting
  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