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: lie · charge · mate · prune · bowl · wound · bay · can

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. prune — to trim
  5. can — a tin
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mate — to breed
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. wound — an injury
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. charge — electricity
  22. prune — to trim
  23. can — a tin
  24. lie — an untruth

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