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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chip — to eat
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fall — to drop
  6. charge — a price
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fall — the season
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. face — to point toward
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. face — to confront
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. face — part of the head

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