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: present · wake · hand · leaves · current · prune · mate · bulb

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wake — a trail
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. present — the time now
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bulb — for light
  9. current — of water
  10. mate — a partner
  11. current — electric
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hand — in cards
  16. present — a gift
  17. hand — help
  18. prune — to trim
  19. present — there
  20. current — happening now
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mate — to breed

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