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: cabinet · rule · bore · prune · racket · key · bay · date

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. prune — to trim
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rule — a law
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. key — for a lock
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. date — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bore — to tire
  14. key — the most important part
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rule — government
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bore — to drill
  19. key — in music
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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