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: prune · game · date · leaves · firm · bear · wake · board

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. firm — decided
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. game — wild animals
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. board — to get on
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bear — the animal
  12. date — the fruit
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. game — a match
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. wake — a trail
  18. board — a committee
  19. bear — the animal
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. firm — a company
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. firm — steady

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