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: temple · snap · prune · date · deal · cap · chip · rule

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cap — a lid
  3. chip — to eat
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. prune — to trim
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rule — government
  8. chip — for betting
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. snap — to click
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. deal — to handle
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rule — a law
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. temple — a place of worship

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