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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. key — in music
  3. bore — to drill
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. lean — to bend
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. key — for a lock
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bore — to tire
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. lean — thin
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. key — the most important part
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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