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 116 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: capital · squash · wound · key · prune · season · ball · patient

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. ball — a great time
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. season — in sport
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wound — an injury
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. key — in music
  15. wound — an injury
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. ball — a dance
  19. season — of the year
  20. capital — money
  21. squash — the sport
  22. key — the most important part
  23. prune — to trim
  24. capital — a city

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