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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. stock — shares
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. dip — to sink
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bank — for money
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. rush — hurry
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. prune — to trim

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