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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. net — for catching
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mark — a grade
  7. net — in sport
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. net — after costs
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. prune — to trim
  15. craft — boats
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mark — a trace

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