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 120 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. net — for catching
  6. prune — to trim
  7. can — to be able to
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. board — a committee
  10. net — in sport
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. net — after costs
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wake — a trail
  15. prune — to trim
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bulb — for light
  18. board — to get on
  19. bulb — for light
  20. face — to confront
  21. can — a tin
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. can — a tin
  24. prune — the fruit

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