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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. object — a thing
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. foot — a measure
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. object — an aim
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. prune — to trim

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