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: wake · leaves · season · toast · object · calf · dip · prune

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. object — to protest
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. wake — a trail
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. object — an aim
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. object — a thing
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. dip — to sink
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. prune — to trim
  16. season — of the year
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. toast — bread
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. season — 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