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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lie — to recline
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. swing — to play on
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. content — the amount
  12. season — in sport
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. season — of the year
  15. prune — to trim
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. content — happy
  18. chip — to eat
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. swing — music
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. swing — in golf
  24. season — to add flavour

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