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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. swing — in golf
  5. tube — the underground
  6. swing — music
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. chest — of your body
  10. charge — in control
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. chest — of your body
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. charge — a price
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. swing — to play on
  19. tube — a container
  20. prune — to trim
  21. chest — a box
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. charge — electricity
  24. ball — a dance

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