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: pitcher · prune · fall · bound · scale · land · key · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bound — certain
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — size or range
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bound — tied together
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. land — a country
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. key — in music
  21. land — ground
  22. fall — the season
  23. land — to come down
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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