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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. can — a tin
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. prune — to trim
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. can — to be able to
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fall — the season
  24. can — a tin

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