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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. prune — to trim
  4. club — a group
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. firm — a company
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. prune — to trim
  10. firm — steady
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. march — music
  13. firm — decided
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. march — the month
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. club — for golf
  19. march — the month
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. deal — to handle

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