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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. ground — the earth
  3. lean — thin
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. can — a tin
  10. ground — crushed
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. can — to be able to
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ground — a position
  15. wake — a trail
  16. can — a tin
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. pass — a permit
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. lean — to bend

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