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 · stem · can · perch · toast · cold · deal · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. can — a tin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. can — to be able to
  8. cold — an illness
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. cold — not warm
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. prune — to trim
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. deal — to handle
  16. can — a tin
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. toast — bread
  24. stem — to come from

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