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: key · prune · fall · lean · mouse · bore · hide · squash

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. key — for a lock
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. fall — to drop
  15. key — in music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bore — to drill
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. lean — thin
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fall — the season
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mouse — the animal

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