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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. prune — to trim
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fine — all right
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. prune — to trim
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. dip — to sink
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. jam — in traffic

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