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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bear — the animal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bass — low music
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bass — the fish
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. snap — to click
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — newspapers
  15. prune — to trim
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. drill — the tool
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. drill — army training
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. press — to push

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