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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. prune — to trim
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. rest — a break
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. can — a tin
  9. rest — what's left
  10. key — in music
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. key — for a lock
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. can — a tin
  18. wound — an injury
  19. chip — to eat
  20. wound — an injury
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. rest — what's left
  24. coach — a trainer

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