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: calf · row · prune · leaves · swing · firm · wake · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. swing — in golf
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — to paddle
  5. prune — to trim
  6. row — a line
  7. firm — decided
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. swing — music
  11. wake — a trail
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. firm — a company
  15. swing — to play on
  16. fall — the season
  17. firm — steady
  18. fall — to drop
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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