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: fall · calf · prune · pitcher · club · arm · lie · scale

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fall — the season
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. club — for golf
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. fall — to drop
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. scale — size or range
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. scale — in music
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. prune — to trim
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. fall — to drop
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. lie — to recline

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