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: wound · season · ruler · rush · bay · wake · chip · prune

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rush — hurry
  7. season — of the year
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. chip — for betting
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. wake — a trail
  15. season — in sport
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wound — an injury
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. chip — to eat

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