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: staff · cold · safe · prune · lean · mouse · fall · face

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. staff — a stick
  4. prune — to trim
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. fall — to drop
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. staff — employees
  9. lean — thin
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. staff — employees
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. face — to confront
  14. lean — to bend
  15. cold — not warm
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. prune — to trim
  21. face — to point toward
  22. cold — an illness
  23. fall — the season
  24. face — part of the head

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