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 120 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. fork — in a road
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mate — a friend
  7. shower — to wash
  8. mate — a partner
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. mark — a grade
  12. shower — rain
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. track — a song
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mate — to breed
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. track — a path
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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