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: suit · wave · prune · bore · bay · deal · hide · file

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. suit — in cards
  14. deal — to handle
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. file — a tool
  18. bore — to drill
  19. file — a document
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. prune — to trim
  23. suit — to fit
  24. hide — animal skin

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