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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fork — in a road
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of a king
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a match
  10. bear — the animal
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. cue — a hint
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. cue — a signal
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. court — of law
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. prune — to trim
  24. perch — the fish

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