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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stock — shares
  4. suit — in cards
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cue — a signal
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stock — goods
  11. cue — a hint
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cue — for pool
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. rush — hurry
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. branch — a division
  19. ball — a dance
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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