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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pitch — completely
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. season — of the year
  6. squash — the sport
  7. root — of a plant
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. squash — to crush
  14. root — of a word
  15. board — a committee
  16. season — in sport
  17. snap — to click
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. root — the cause

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