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 · safe · pound · leaves · pit · bay · plane · row

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. row — to paddle
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. prune — to trim
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pit — in a race
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. row — a line
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. plane — a tool

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