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 116 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. file — a document
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. board — a committee
  10. bulb — for light
  11. track — to keep track
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. track — a song
  14. file — a tool
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. board — to get on
  17. bulb — for light
  18. track — a path

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