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: foot · fine · spell · leaves · squash · trunk · deal · prune

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. spell — letters
  3. deal — to handle
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. fine — high quality
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the sport
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — magic
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. prune — to trim
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. prune — to trim

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