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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. fall — to drop
  6. rest — what's left
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rest — a break
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pitch — completely
  22. fall — the season
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — an injury

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