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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. track — a path
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. wake — a trail
  5. season — in sport
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. prune — to trim
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. saw — the tool
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. track — a song
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. season — of the year
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rest — a break
  24. track — to keep track

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