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: rule · leaves · prune · content · mine · coach · foot · key

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. key — in music
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — a law
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mine — for digging
  9. prune — to trim
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rule — government
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. key — for a lock
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. content — happy
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. content — the amount
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. prune — to trim
  24. key — the most important part

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