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: lean · pass · prune · race · nail · kick · mate · toast

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — thin
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — the arms race
  12. toast — bread
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mate — a partner
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. kick — in football
  19. prune — to trim
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. race — a contest
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mate — to breed

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