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: leaves · prune · net · roll · drill · jam · dip · hand

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. drill — army training
  4. hand — help
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. hand — in cards
  7. prune — to trim
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. drill — a practice
  11. roll — a list
  12. net — after costs
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. net — for catching
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. prune — to trim
  20. net — in sport
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. dip — to sink
  23. drill — the tool
  24. dip — to dunk

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