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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. prune — to trim
  4. root — of a plant
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. staff — employees
  7. root — of a word
  8. pit — in a race
  9. staff — employees
  10. board — a committee
  11. staff — a stick
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. board — to get on
  14. pit — a hole
  15. mine — for digging
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. net — after costs
  19. root — the cause
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. net — in sport
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. net — for catching
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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