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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. suit — clothes
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. foot — a measure
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. stand — to bear
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. prune — to trim
  17. wound — an injury
  18. suit — to fit
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. drill — army training
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — help
  23. suit — in cards
  24. season — in sport

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