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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. game — wild animals
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. game — a match
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. content — happy
  15. rash — a series
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rash — hasty
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. prune — to trim
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. prune — to trim
  23. content — the amount
  24. game — a kind of play

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