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 116 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — magic
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. spell — a short time
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. rash — a series
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. branch — a division
  24. rush — a thrill

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