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 116 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. can — to be able to
  3. prune — to trim
  4. suit — in cards
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. wake — a trail
  8. suit — clothes
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. can — a tin
  11. mate — a partner
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. prune — to trim
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. row — a line
  17. can — a tin
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — to paddle
  24. suit — to fit

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