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

Word bank: cap · racket · staff · land · club · leaves · key · prune

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. cap — a lid
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. land — ground
  6. prune — to trim
  7. key — for a lock
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. staff — employees
  10. land — to come down
  11. club — for dancing
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. land — a country
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. club — for golf
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. staff — employees
  20. cap — of ice
  21. staff — a stick
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cap — a hat
  24. prune — to trim

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