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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. key — for a lock
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. key — in music
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. row — to paddle
  7. key — the most important part
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. row — a line
  11. hand — in cards
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. fall — the season
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. prune — to trim
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. fall — to drop
  23. hand — help
  24. bank — for money

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