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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cap — of ice
  6. lean — thin
  7. season — of the year
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fine — high quality
  10. cap — a lid
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. prune — to trim
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fine — all right
  16. suit — clothes
  17. lean — to bend
  18. season — in sport
  19. suit — in cards
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. cap — a hat

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