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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. track — a song
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. march — music
  9. track — a path
  10. march — the month
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. lie — to recline
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. plane — a tool
  24. march — the month

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