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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. prune — to trim
  3. net — for catching
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. net — in sport
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bark — to shout
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wound — an injury
  12. cue — for pool
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wake — a trail
  16. net — after costs
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. racket — for tennis

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