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: prune · bank · calf · toast · straw · mouse · perch · hide

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. toast — bread
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bank — for money
  5. perch — the fish
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bank — for money
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bank — of a river

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