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 120 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: season · nail · fine · prune · fall · bank · perch · stand

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  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. season — to add flavour
  2. bank — for money
  3. perch — the fish
  4. season — of the year
  5. stand — to bear
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. prune — to trim
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. season — in sport
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fine — all right
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fall — to drop
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bank — for money
  19. fall — the season
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. fall — to drop
  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