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: bark · mug · deal · prune · spell · saw · wave · pit

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mug — to rob
  6. deal — to handle
  7. spell — letters
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. mug — a cup
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. pit — in a race
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — magic
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bark — to shout
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mug — a face

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