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: cap · ground · prune · bay · lean · saw · shower · pass

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. prune — to trim
  3. ground — the earth
  4. cap — a lid
  5. shower — to wash
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pass — a permit
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cap — of ice
  12. prune — to trim
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. ground — a position
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. saw — the tool
  24. shower — rain

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