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: temple · fall · date · bank · saw · net · chair · prune

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. prune — to trim
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. net — for catching
  6. fall — to drop
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. saw — the tool
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bank — for money
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bank — for money
  14. date — the fruit
  15. chair — a leader
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. saw — the tool
  18. prune — to trim
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. net — after costs
  21. bank — of a river
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. fall — to drop
  24. net — in sport

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