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: date · bay · ruler · can · wake · prune · nail · board

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. board — to get on
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. prune — to trim
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. board — a committee
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. can — a tin
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. nail — for a hammer

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