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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. last — final
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. file — a document
  7. last — to go on
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. perch — the fish
  10. last — finally
  11. pitch — completely
  12. prune — to trim
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. plane — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. prune — to trim
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. file — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. plane — an aircraft

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