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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. season — in sport
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. season — of the year
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. swing — in golf
  18. lean — thin
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lean — to bend
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. swing — music
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. nail — on a finger

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