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 it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lie — to recline
  6. deal — to handle
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pitch — completely
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. trunk — of a tree

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