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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rash — a series
  9. land — ground
  10. land — a country
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stock — shares
  13. rest — a break
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. rash — hasty
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. land — to come down
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. stock — goods
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. jam — a tight spot

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