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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. tube — the underground
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stand — to bear
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. tube — a container
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bound — tied together
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. date — the fruit
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. prune — to trim
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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