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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. band — a music group
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rest — what's left
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. prune — to trim
  12. tube — a container
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cue — a hint
  19. chair — a leader
  20. rest — what's left
  21. tube — the underground
  22. cue — for pool
  23. rest — a break
  24. tube — in a tire

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