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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. staff — employees
  5. prune — to trim
  6. spell — a short time
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. band — a ring
  9. staff — employees
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. prune — to trim
  12. clip — for paper
  13. spell — magic
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. band — a music group
  17. pound — a weight
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spell — letters
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. clip — a video
  23. clip — to cut
  24. staff — a stick

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