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: wake · ruler · present · suit · ground · race · prune · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. suit — in cards
  3. ground — crushed
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. ground — the earth
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. present — a gift
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. race — the arms race
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. prune — to trim
  19. race — a contest
  20. ground — a position
  21. prune — to trim
  22. suit — to fit
  23. race — humankind
  24. ruler — for measuring

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