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: prune · fall · tear · suit · cap · cell · season · craft

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. suit — clothes
  4. season — of the year
  5. craft — boats
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cap — a hat
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. fall — the season
  11. tear — from crying
  12. fall — to drop
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cap — a lid
  15. prune — to trim
  16. season — in sport
  17. tear — to rip
  18. prune — to trim
  19. suit — to fit
  20. craft — a skill
  21. tear — from crying
  22. cell — a phone
  23. fall — to drop
  24. cap — of ice

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