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: ball · tube · prune · toast · board · dip · leaves · file

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. dip — to sink
  5. tube — a container
  6. board — a committee
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. file — a line of people
  10. toast — bread
  11. ball — a great time
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. tube — the underground
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. board — to get on
  18. prune — to trim
  19. file — a document
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. file — a tool
  23. ball — a dance
  24. tube — in a tire

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