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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  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. pop — soda
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. object — an aim
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. object — a thing
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. shower — to wash
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. press — a publisher
  15. hand — help
  16. object — to protest
  17. press — to push
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — to visit
  20. shower — rain
  21. press — newspapers
  22. prune — to trim
  23. hand — in cards
  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