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: present · pop · prune · face · lean · mug · land · cue

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — ground
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mug — to rob
  6. lean — thin
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pop — music
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — there
  11. cue — a signal
  12. present — a gift
  13. mug — a face
  14. pop — to visit
  15. lean — to bend
  16. land — to come down
  17. face — part of the head
  18. cue — for pool
  19. pop — soda
  20. cue — a hint
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. face — to confront
  24. mug — a cup

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