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 116 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: prune · lie · hide · rock · present · ground · firm · saw

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lie — to recline
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. present — there
  6. ground — crushed
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. present — the time now
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rock — music
  12. ground — the earth
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. present — a gift
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. ground — a position
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. firm — steady
  23. rock — a stone
  24. lie — an untruth

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