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: prune · mouse · cabinet · saw · hide · spell · lie · bay

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. spell — letters
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. lie — to recline
  11. saw — the tool
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. spell — magic
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. saw — the tool
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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