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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. fine — all right
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. spell — letters
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. spell — magic
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — high quality
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bulb — for light
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wake — a trail
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fan — a supporter

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