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: mouse · deal · field · content · safe · straw · prune · lash

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. deal — to handle
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — farmland
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. prune — to trim
  16. content — the amount
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. content — happy
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. field — a subject
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. straw — a straw man

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