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: land · bay · prune · pit · sharp · squash · bank · object

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bank — for money
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — to protest
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. squash — the sport
  14. land — a country
  15. bank — for money
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. prune — to trim
  18. object — an aim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bank — of a river
  21. land — to come down
  22. squash — to crush
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. sharp — clever

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