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: snap · leaves · content · file · tear · rock · mark · prune

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. mark — a trace
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. tear — from crying
  5. prune — to trim
  6. file — a line of people
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. mark — a grade
  12. file — a document
  13. prune — to trim
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. rock — music
  17. file — a tool
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. tear — from crying
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to click
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. tear — to rip

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