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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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. spell — magic
  2. prune — to trim
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. file — a document
  5. rock — music
  6. spell — letters
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. file — a tool
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mark — a grade
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mark — a trace
  17. file — a line of people
  18. deal — to handle
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. deal — an agreement
  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