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

Word bank: lie · prune · mouse · fine · wound · charge · squash · land

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wound — an injury
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. land — a country
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. squash — the sport
  8. lie — to recline
  9. fine — all right
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fine — high quality
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. charge — in control
  20. wound — an injury
  21. charge — a price
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — ground
  24. squash — to crush

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