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: chest · bulb · prune · coach · leaves · toast · board · firm

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. chest — a box
  3. bulb — for light
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. chest — of your body
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. toast — bread
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. firm — steady
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bulb — for light
  18. firm — a company
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. chest — of your body
  21. firm — decided
  22. prune — to trim
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. toast — the most admired

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