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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. race — humankind
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. race — a contest
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — low music
  18. race — the arms race

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