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: prune · temple · mark · bowl · foot · field · wake · cue

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. field — a subject
  3. prune — to trim
  4. field — farmland
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — for pool
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wake — a trail
  14. cue — a signal
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. prune — to trim
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. field — for sport

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