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: shower · plane · jam · snap · prune · pit · lean · cue

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. lean — thin
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. prune — to trim
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. plane — a tool
  8. snap — to click
  9. lean — to bend
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cue — for pool
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. shower — rain
  15. cue — a hint
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. shower — to wash
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. cue — a signal

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