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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. staff — employees
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. prune — to trim
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wake — a trail
  9. prune — to trim
  10. land — to come down
  11. staff — employees
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. land — a country
  15. branch — a division
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. land — ground
  18. fine — high quality
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. fine — all right
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. mouse — the animal

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