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 120 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: ground · prune · fan · craft · wave · lie · leaves · chest

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. craft — a skill
  4. chest — of your body
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lie — to recline
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. craft — boats
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — the earth
  15. chest — a box
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. chest — of your body
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. ground — a position
  24. leaves — lets stay

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