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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. prune — to trim
  13. track — to keep track
  14. pop — music
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. chip — to eat
  18. track — a song
  19. track — a path
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pop — soda

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