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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. charge — in control
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. roll — a list
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pop — music
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pop — soda
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. charge — a price
  22. pop — to visit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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