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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: prune · roll · lean · chest · bulb · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. roll — a list
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to bend
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. bulb — for light
  10. chest — of your body
  11. prune — to trim
  12. roll — a cake
  13. prune — to trim
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. chest — a box

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