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: lean · cabinet · scale · prune · object · chair · toast · hand

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. object — an aim
  4. scale — in music
  5. toast — bread
  6. object — to protest
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. object — a thing
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. lean — thin
  15. chair — a leader
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. prune — to trim
  18. scale — size or range
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hand — in cards
  22. lean — to bend
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. hand — help

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