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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wake — a trail
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. stand — to bear
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pound — a weight
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. spell — magic
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. nail — for a hammer

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