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 116 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: deal · bay · rest · fine · lean · track · root · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. track — a song
  3. lean — thin
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. lean — to bend
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rest — what's left
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. root — of a word
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. track — a path
  21. root — the cause
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fine — high quality
  24. track — to keep track

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