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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. scale — size or range
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wake — a trail
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. scale — in music
  10. race — humankind
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. perch — the fish
  13. prune — to trim
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — a contest
  20. date — the fruit
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. prune — to trim

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