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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. can — to be able to
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pop — to visit
  8. staff — employees
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. can — a tin
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pop — music
  15. can — a tin
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. staff — employees
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pop — soda
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — from a university

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