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: suit · lean · chest · staff · hide · snap · prune · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. chest — a box
  5. staff — employees
  6. chest — of your body
  7. staff — employees
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. chest — of your body
  12. suit — to fit
  13. lean — thin
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. staff — a stick
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lean — to bend
  24. hide — to keep secret

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