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: roll · fine · race · prune · spell · staff · lie · wake

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fine — all right
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. race — a contest
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — letters
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — a list
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fine — high quality
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. staff — employees
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — the arms race
  20. staff — a stick
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. staff — employees

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