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: foot · prune · wake · march · content · cabinet · leaves · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. content — happy
  5. wake — a trail
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. march — the month
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. content — the amount
  12. march — the month
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. march — music
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — a measure

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