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: drill · hand · prune · fine · saw · lean · charge · date

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. charge — in control
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. saw — the tool
  5. prune — to trim
  6. lean — to bend
  7. prune — to trim
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. fine — high quality
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. lean — thin
  15. charge — electricity
  16. drill — army training
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. hand — help
  19. charge — a price
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. drill — the tool
  22. date — the fruit
  23. hand — in cards
  24. drill — a practice

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