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: land · sharp · suit · stand · prune · tear · straw · fan

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. suit — clothes
  5. land — a country
  6. suit — in cards
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. prune — to trim
  10. tear — from crying
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stand — to bear
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. sharp — clever
  17. land — to come down
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. prune — to trim
  24. land — ground

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