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: jam · prune · lean · hand · fall · stem · march · bowl

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. prune — to trim
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. march — music
  8. fall — to drop
  9. lean — to bend
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. lean — thin
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. march — the month
  17. hand — help
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. march — the month
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bowl — to roll

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