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 120 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: scale · prune · hide · present · saw · mug · track · row

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. track — to keep track
  4. prune — to trim
  5. present — the time now
  6. mug — a face
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. track — a path
  11. prune — to trim
  12. scale — in music
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. saw — the tool
  15. track — a song
  16. row — a line
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. row — to paddle
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — there
  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