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: board · saw · dip · leaves · lie · coach · cap · prune

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lie — to recline
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. cap — of ice
  6. dip — to sink
  7. board — to get on
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. saw — the tool
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. board — a committee
  14. saw — the tool
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. cap — a hat
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cap — a lid
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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