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 120 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. track — a path
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. drill — a practice
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. craft — a skill
  11. prune — to trim
  12. squash — to crush
  13. pit — a hole
  14. track — a song
  15. track — to keep track
  16. drill — army training
  17. craft — boats
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. squash — the sport
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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