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 116 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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. clip — for paper
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. face — to confront
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. clip — to cut
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. face — to point toward
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. vault — a safe
  22. face — part of the head
  23. clip — a video
  24. prune — to trim

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