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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. root — the cause
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — for sport
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. root — of a plant
  13. field — farmland
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. row — to paddle
  16. root — of a word
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. game — a match
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. row — a line

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