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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. prune — to trim
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bound — certain
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. prune — to trim
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bound — tied together
  14. plane — a tool
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. row — a line
  19. row — to paddle
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bound — obliged

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