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: fan · tube · leaves · prune · sharp · deal · cabinet · stand

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. deal — to handle
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. sharp — clever
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stand — to bear

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